BIODIVERSITY,
CONSERVATION AND ATTRACTIONS — DECLARED PESTS
1227. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the minister representing the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to the proposed memoranda
of understanding between recognised biosecurity groups and the Department of
Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions for the control of declared pests on
land controlled by DBCA.
(1) Have draft MOUs been provided
to RBGs for their consideration?
(2) Within what
time frame does DBCA expect that the MOUs will be executed, bearing in mind
many of the volunteers who participate in RBGs are currently focused on the
state's record grain harvest?
(3) Is the
minister confident that the proposed MOUs will provide adequate legal liability
protections to the volunteers involved with RBGs upon the transfer of
restricted chemical permits from DBCA to licensed pest management technicians?
(4) When will the
current restricted chemical permits held by DBCA expire, and is any
consideration being given to extending the permits to provide sufficient time
for the RBGs to review and come to an agreement with DBCA on the MOUs?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) The
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions collaborates with
recognised biosecurity groups through memoranda of understanding to undertake
pest animal control programs across multiple tenures, including lands managed
by DBCA. DBCA, the Department of Health and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development have
endorsed a new process that ensures restricted pesticide permits are
issued in accordance with legislative requirements, particularly the Code of
practice for the safe use and management of registered pesticides containing
1080, PAPP and strychnine.
DPIRD
and DBCA have recently communicated the new process to the RBGs. DBCA is
organising workshops with each RBG over the coming weeks to work through the
permit process, land access authorities and an updated memorandum of understanding to support the renewal of permits
that expire on 31 December 2022.
The memoranda of understanding do not
provide legal liability protections to volunteers involved in RBGs. Legal
liability protection is an internal corporate governance issue for an
incorporated body.