RECOGNISED BIOSECURITY
GROUPS — OPERATIONAL PLANS
1171. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I refer to the minister's
statement to the house on 20 October 2020 regarding recognised biosecurity
groups' operational plans.
(1) Has the
government made any assessment on what percentage of RBG activities are related
to biosecurity issues that can be linked to the lack of pest and weed control
on land under the management, control or ownership of the state government?
(2) If yes to
(1), what was the outcome of that assessment?
(3) If no to (1),
why not, given that the government has imposed a compulsory levy on landowners,
most of whom manage the control of pests and weeds on their own properties?
(4) How many
comments were received from stakeholders in favour of the establishment of
declared pest rates of any RBGs established in 2020?
(5) What is the
threshold of support required in order to implement a declared pest rate?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(2) We
do not accept the basic premise of that question. Therefore, of course, there
has been no assessment because the supposition is not well founded. I comment
that this really continues an arrangement that has been in place for a long
time.
(3) Our
government, like previous governments, holds the view that for effective
management of established declared pests and weeds, a cross-tenure, coordinated
community approach is required.
As the member would be aware, the
state government contributes a matching dollar-for-dollar amount to any funds raised by the declared pest rate. The
intent of this matching rate is to facilitate a whole-of-landscape
approach, noting that the declared pest rate does not replace an individual
landholder's responsibility to control declared pests on their own
property. The intent of the recognised biosecurity group model is to provide a coordinated
approach and drive the principle of shared responsibility.
I would also add, member, that it is
not only via the matching funding to the controlled pest rate that the
department, or indeed the government as a whole, does work in relation to these
pests, be they weeds or animals.
(4) The only group that had a rate established for the
first time in 2020 was the Midlands Recognised Biosecurity Group. Of the
957 landholders consulted in the MRBG operational area, there were 13 responses—one
supporting, seven not supporting and five neutral. This year I discontinued the
declared pest rate in Carnarvon, as I judged a significant percentage of the
levy payers to be opposed to the levy.
(5) Recognised
biosecurity groups are required to demonstrate community support for
determining a rate chargeable for a financial year prior to the minister giving
consideration to formally consulting on, and any subsequent raising of, a rate
under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007.