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.