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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 08 Hansard (Thursday, 5 August 2004) . . Page.. 3623 ..

(2) What impact have both the drought and the impact of the 2003 bushfires had on blackberry control;

(3) What was the cost of blackberry spraying undertaken during (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04;

(4) If no blackberry spraying has been undertaken during 2002-03 and 2003-04, why not.

Mr Wood: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) In 2002-03 and 2003-04 blackberry spraying was undertaken across all of the urban area of Canberra in the following areas:

• Parkland areas

• Road verges

• Riparian zones

• Bushfire affected areas

(2) Drought and subsequent lack of moisture stresses Blackberry to the point that chemical uptake may be inefficient and may not kill the plant.

Fire can affect the ability of blackberry plants to absorb herbicide by reducing the ratio of leaf area to root area. Ideal conditions for poisoning would be large leaf mass and small root mass, but fire tends to reverse this, leading to the inefficient uptake of herbicide.

The combined effects of both fire and drought are a lack of the growth necessary for the plant to uptake herbicide.

Countering this though is an increase in the areas vulnerable to blackberry infestation as a result of the January 2003 fire. Thus even with the reduced rate of growth, this is occurring over a much larger area, resulting in a large increase in the amount of spraying being done over the two years.

(3) (a) $5,000 (b) $18,000

(4) Spraying was undertaken in both years.

Waste disposal
(Question No 1638)

Mr Cornwell asked the Minister for Urban Services, upon notice, on 1 July 2004:

(1) What is the cost of waste disposal at the Mugga Way Landfill site as at 30 June 2003 for (a) non-commercial and (b) commercial waste;

(2) How much revenue was collected during 2002-03 and 2003-04 for each category referred to in part (1);

(3) Will the cost of waste disposal change for 2003-04; if so, (a) by how much and (b) why.

Mr Wood: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

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