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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 232 asked in the Legislative Council on 20 March 2019 by Hon Robin Chapple

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

CANE TOAD — CLASSIFICATION

232. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Minister for Agriculture and Food:

I refer to the review of the declared pests of Western Australia commenced by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and completed in May 2016 and the answer to question without notice 108 provided by the minister.

(1) Has the review of the status of the cane toad, Rhinella marina, been concluded in response to further feedback and discussions with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions?

(2) If yes to (1), when?

(3) If yes to (1), what was the outcome and will the cane toad be reinstated as a declared pest?

(4) If yes to (3), has this occurred or when will it occur?

(5) If no to (3), why not?

Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:

I thank the member for the question.

(1) Yes.

(2) Further review of the declaration status of the cane toad, following further feedback and consultation with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, was completed in August 2018.

(3) Prior to this most recent review, the cane toad was not declared for the area north of the twentieth parallel. Following consultation with DBCA, further assessment was done to strengthen the regulation of cane toads in the north of the state. As a result of this consultation, it was recommended that the cane toad become classified as a declared pest under section 22 of the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act for all areas south of the twentieth parallel, which is just above Port Hedland. It is a prohibited organism under section 12 of the BAM act for the entire state and all offshore islands. Within this section 12 whole-of-state declaration, two areas have different control areas. The large part of the state that does not have cane toads present, including the mainland south of the twentieth parallel and all offshore islands, has been assigned a control category of ''C1—Exclusion''. This is designed to enable strong controls to prevent cane toads from entering the area. For the northern area of the WA mainland where some populations of cane toads are present, the control category is unassigned. This acknowledges that cane toads are already present in some locations and that cane toads cannot be effectively excluded from this region. Because cane toads are now declared for this northern area, research and control activities can be undertaken and funding can be sought by agencies and community groups to help control cane toads there.

(4) Yes, the changes to the declaration status of the cane toad were gazetted on 14 September 2018.

(5) Not applicable.