Page 1704 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 3 May 2005
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The bill also provides for a pest to be declared a notifiable pest. A notifiable pest would be one that either does not yet occur in the ACT or the distribution of which is extremely localised. Its presence must be notified to a designated official so that a rapid response can be initiated. Eradication rather than suppression or containment would be a management objective for a notifiable pest. Identification of a notifiable pest that is not yet established in the territory, together with a rapid response to any detection, is the most effective way of preventing a new pest incursion.
The bill provides for the development of management plans for declared pests. A pest management plan is a management response to a recognised threat. It will outline actions required to manage the pest based on its potential threat, biological characteristics, distribution and abundance and practical measures available to control the pest or manage its impact. For example, a management plan for a pest plant may outline control techniques for suppression, destruction or containment of a pest, or land management practices to reduce its impact. Pest management plans will guide land managers in the design of the most effective and cost-efficient management programs.
The Pest Plants and Animals Bill will provide enhanced support for implementation of the ACT weeds strategy and the ACT vertebrate pest management strategy. These strategies establish a policy framework for pest management and are underpinned by annual management programs. The bill will assist in establishing priorities and objectives for pest management programs that align with pest declarations and associated management plans. Pest management plans may also be the basis for regulatory action. Directions may be issued to a land manager to undertake pest management actions in accordance with a pest management plan. A land manager must comply with any directions issued and, where they are unable to do so, an authorised person may execute the direction at a reasonable cost to the land manager. Use of directions would be a last resort measure when all other measures have failed.
The prohibition of supply of certain declared pest plants or pest animals, or material contaminated with these, is a key initiative of the Pest Plants and Animals Bill. The mechanism for doing this is by declaring a pest to be a prohibited pest. Many of our established pests have their origin in commercial trade or inadvertent or reckless supply or disposal of pests or material contaminated with a pest. Control over the introduction of new pests is an important strategy. It recognises that tackling major pathways for the introduction of new pests can have substantial economic and environmental benefits.
This provision builds on the existing bush friendly nursery scheme, whereby nurseries have voluntarily agreed not to supply pest plants and have been recommending non-invasive alternatives to their customers. This innovative scheme has been adopted by other Australian jurisdictions as an important and effective mechanism to raise community awareness of potential weeds and to guide people in the selection of more environmentally-friendly species for use in gardens. In 2003, this ACT initiative was recognised by being awarded the Landcare Australia local government award.
The bush friendly nursery scheme is a success story of note. It has been embraced by both the retail horticultural sector and their customers and it demonstrates strong community interest in reducing the impact of pest plants on our natural environment. Another local program, weed swap, is another example of community engagement in
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