❓ A parliamentary question regarding funding for mosquito control in the Maylands electorate, specifically addressing funding limits, renewal processes, eligible costs, and the Department of Health's designation of high-risk suburbs. The answer clarifies funding mechanisms, eligible expenses, and risk assessment criteria.
AnsweredQoN 1572Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Minister’s letter dated 6 November 2013 in response to my query regarding Western Australian Department of Health funding for mosquito control available for my electorate, Maylands, and ask: (a) what is the maximum amount of this funding that will be made available for an individual local government to be granted in one given financial year; (b) will local governments need to reapply for this funding every year, or is it renewable; (c) what other costs associated with mosquito control and methods other than spraying are eligible to be covered by this funding; and (d) given the funding criteria outlined in the letter, which suburbs have been designated by the Department as having a “demonstrated public health risk” from mosquitoes?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
25 February 2014
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
97 days
(a) There is no maximum limit to the amount of funding that can be requested by a Local Government [through their Contiguous Local Authorities Groups (CLAGs)]. Applicants were invited to submit two bids, one for funding up to $50,000 and a second for requests beyond $50,000 that would be considered if sufficient funding is available. This was to ensure that funding would be available to as many WA Local Governments with demonstrated mosquito risks as possible.
(b) Local Governments will be invited to reapply for funding each year through their CLAGs so that the funding meets specific needs of individual CLAGs and allows them to adapt their funding requests to meet prevailing environmental conditions and the varying management requirements.
(c) The funding will be spent in line with mosquito management activities proposed by each CLAG in their funding request. This is likely to vary between CLAG programs because of the different mosquito breeding sources and environmental conditions in each jurisdiction, but includes:
· larvicides and adulticides for mosquito control;
· earthworks and site modification to prevent mosquito breeding;
· equipment for mosquito management and control;
· health promotion and community education material;
· external review of existing programs to identify opportunities for improvement;
· audits of mosquito species present, breeding sites and the risks posed to human health;
· additional staff to undertake mosquito management;
· attendance at mosquito management training courses; and
· IT for field based recording of mosquito populations to improve accuracy of delivery of chemicals and mapping risk to communities.
(d) Public health risk from mosquitoes is determined by the number and incidence (rate) of confirmed human cases of mosquito-borne disease reported to the Department of Health over many years. Disease risk is generally linked to proximity to extensive, known mosquito breeding habitat rather than specific Local Government areas. All 12 current CLAGs (for mosquito management) contain substantial areas of known mosquito risk habitat.
(b) Local Governments will be invited to reapply for funding each year through their CLAGs so that the funding meets specific needs of individual CLAGs and allows them to adapt their funding requests to meet prevailing environmental conditions and the varying management requirements.
(c) The funding will be spent in line with mosquito management activities proposed by each CLAG in their funding request. This is likely to vary between CLAG programs because of the different mosquito breeding sources and environmental conditions in each jurisdiction, but includes:
· larvicides and adulticides for mosquito control;
· earthworks and site modification to prevent mosquito breeding;
· equipment for mosquito management and control;
· health promotion and community education material;
· external review of existing programs to identify opportunities for improvement;
· audits of mosquito species present, breeding sites and the risks posed to human health;
· additional staff to undertake mosquito management;
· attendance at mosquito management training courses; and
· IT for field based recording of mosquito populations to improve accuracy of delivery of chemicals and mapping risk to communities.
(d) Public health risk from mosquitoes is determined by the number and incidence (rate) of confirmed human cases of mosquito-borne disease reported to the Department of Health over many years. Disease risk is generally linked to proximity to extensive, known mosquito breeding habitat rather than specific Local Government areas. All 12 current CLAGs (for mosquito management) contain substantial areas of known mosquito risk habitat.
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