RECOGNISED BIOSECURITY GROUPS — 1080 BAITS
881. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I refer to the restricted chemical
product permits required for the use of 1080 baits by recognised biosecurity
groups on crown land.
(1) Is it still the intention of the McGowan
government to require RBGs or their contractors to hold the permits in their own right, rather than being held by the
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions?
(2) Can the minister provide details of any formal
agreements between RBGs and the state government related to the control
of feral pests on land that falls under state government responsibility, and
will the minister please table the agreement if there is such a document?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN
replied:
This answer is a bit long, but a lot
of information has been requested. I will perhaps cut some bits out, but table
the full document.
(1) The
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions has advised that it is
not appropriate for DBCA officers to hold the permit for operations it does not
conduct. The most appropriate person to hold the permits for work undertaken by
recognised biosecurity groups is considered to be the licensed pest management
technician engaged by the RBG.
(2) The
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has formal agreements
with all recognised biosecurity groups in the form of a directions notice
issued under section 170(3) of the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act
2007. These stipulate that declared pest account funds provided to RBGs need to be spent appropriately on declared pest
management in the prescribed operational areas, as per the approved
operational plan, and reported on to DPIRD. RBG operational areas cover large
parts of WA. These include some areas of lands managed by the state government
as part of the principle of managing pests and weeds at the landscape scale.
DBCA will be engaging with each RBG over the coming
months to review existing memoranda of understanding for pest animal control on
DBCA-managed lands, and establish an agreed framework that will clearly
articulate the roles and responsibilities of RBGs, licensed pest management
technicians and DBCA for these programs.