6 August 2015

Have your say on managing exotic plants and animals in the ACT

| Canfan
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EuropeanWasp1

The ACT Government wants your feedback on the draft ACT biosecurity strategy, which outlines the management of exotic plants and animals, as well as diseases which affect both plants and animals.

From the media release:

Outline of the draft ACT Biosecurity Strategy

The draft strategy outlines the ACT’s approach to protecting our local environment, agribusiness and the community from biosecurity risks. It was developed in consultation with key stakeholders and is aligned with the NSW Biosecurity Strategy to ensure a consistent regional approach.

The draft strategy highlights the importance of biosecurity and outlines how we will manage exotic plants, animals as well as plant and animal diseases that have already infiltrated the ACT like European wasps, Madagascan fireweed and serrated tussock. It also outlines how we will prevent further biosecurity risks entering the ACT like swine flu and Madagascan fireweed.

The draft strategy identifies the key factors influencing increasing biosecurity risks and it recognises that zero biosecurity risk is unobtainable. The strategy identifies the pre-border, border and post-border elements of the biosecurity continuum. It also outlines actions for addressing biosecurity risks across the continuum to minimise the likelihood of biosecurity incidents and to mitigate their impacts.

The draft strategy identifies goals, objectives and actions for addressing biosecurity. It sets out recommended strategic directions for all stakeholders in the ACT to work towards over the next ten years and provides the foundations for government, industry, non-government organisations and the community to work together and to share resources, knowledge and expertise.

Scope of the strategy

Biosecurity risks can impact on all aspects of the economy, environment and community. This strategy covers threats to primary industries, the environment, social amenity and human health in both terrestrial and aquatic environments caused by:

  • weeds and pest animals
  • animal pests and diseases, including zoonotic diseases (diseases of animals that may be transmitted to man under natural conditions – eg. brucellosis, rabies)

This strategy does not address:

  • plant pests and diseases
  • chemical issues (including contamination or residue issues)
  • food safety (except issues associated with zoonoses)
  • genetically modified organisms
  • animal welfare.

Have your say

Biosecurity is a shared responsibility. Community input is important to ensure the strategy meets the needs of the entire population; even Canberrans living in the city need to be aware of the potential impact exotic pests pose. For example an exotic pest such as fire ants which are currently limited to small areas in Queensland could seriously impact our outdoor lifestyle.

When finalised the strategy will provide the framework for a strong and integrated biosecurity system to protect the ACT.

To provide feedback please complete the online feedback form.

Hardcopy feedback forms and hardcopies of the strategy are also available from all public library branches.

Consultation closes 5 pm Wednesday 19 August 2015.

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Just killed one in our Jindabyne Ski-Lodge.

Little buggers are everywhere.

rubaiyat said :

gooterz said :

Still dont understand why they dont have a government led and paid for treatment for european wasps.

Dangerous buggers, it only takes one household not to treat their infestiation for it to affect magnitudes more the next year.

If you have a wasp infestation then you ring up they’ll just record it as a stat and wont do anything.
It’d be much cheaper for the government just to cough up the cash to kill one nest rather than joe taxpayers having to pay for it the next year.

Thoughts?

Agreed.

Like the Cane Toad, takes one idiot then we and the environment have to pay forever.

We seem to have given up on Fire Ants in Brisbane. If they get going, what’s to stop them? They’ll destroy billions of dollars of grazing land, threaten countless lives and wipe out our native ants and animals.

Suppose we will spout the usual “we can’t afford to do anything”, stick our head in the sand, and leave the problem for someone else to clean up (NOT), at huge expense in perpetuity.

Crass stupidity is the reason we have most of these problems and do nothing about them. I spotted the European wasp in huge numbers in Goulburn’s Belmore Park, where large numbers of children play. Someone had cut holes in all the lids of the self closing garbage bins, so the lazy wouldn’t have to lift them, and so the wasps can fly in and out with easy access to all the soft drink cans inside.

European Wasps are actually mentioned in the ACT Pest Animal Management Strategy 2012-2022 (Box 11, p.55). I haven’t looked at the new document yet, so not sure how they are any different to each at this point in time.

gooterz said :

Still dont understand why they dont have a government led and paid for treatment for european wasps.

Dangerous buggers, it only takes one household not to treat their infestiation for it to affect magnitudes more the next year.

If you have a wasp infestation then you ring up they’ll just record it as a stat and wont do anything.
It’d be much cheaper for the government just to cough up the cash to kill one nest rather than joe taxpayers having to pay for it the next year.

Thoughts?

Agreed.

Like the Cane Toad, takes one idiot then we and the environment have to pay forever.

We seem to have given up on Fire Ants in Brisbane. If they get going, what’s to stop them? They’ll destroy billions of dollars of grazing land, threaten countless lives and wipe out our native ants and animals.

Suppose we will spout the usual “we can’t afford to do anything”, stick our head in the sand, and leave the problem for someone else to clean up (NOT), at huge expense in perpetuity.

Crass stupidity is the reason we have most of these problems and do nothing about them. I spotted the European wasp in huge numbers in Goulburn’s Belmore Park, where large numbers of children play. Someone had cut holes in all the lids of the self closing garbage bins, so the lazy wouldn’t have to lift them, and so the wasps can fly in and out with easy access to all the soft drink cans inside.

GardeningGirl6:57 pm 06 Aug 15

gooterz said :

Still dont understand why they dont have a government led and paid for treatment for european wasps.

Dangerous buggers, it only takes one household not to treat their infestiation for it to affect magnitudes more the next year.

If you have a wasp infestation then you ring up they’ll just record it as a stat and wont do anything.
It’d be much cheaper for the government just to cough up the cash to kill one nest rather than joe taxpayers having to pay for it the next year.

Thoughts?

Back in the 80’s I reckon it would be, the government paid for a letterbox drop of leaflets about European wasps just when they were starting to appear in Canberra. A couple of decades later I followed the advice to report a sighting to the government only to be told they weren’t dealing with it any more and I should call a private pest controller. I saw the wasp near the fence close to three other properties and couldn’t see a nest anywhere so how’s that supposed to work?
A “consistent approach” would be good, shame they dropped it years ago.

Still dont understand why they dont have a government led and paid for treatment for european wasps.

Dangerous buggers, it only takes one household not to treat their infestiation for it to affect magnitudes more the next year.

If you have a wasp infestation then you ring up they’ll just record it as a stat and wont do anything.
It’d be much cheaper for the government just to cough up the cash to kill one nest rather than joe taxpayers having to pay for it the next year.

Thoughts?

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