The Liberal and Nationals Government will invest more than $24.5 million to combat feral pests – like wild dogs and pigs – and weeds through 36 projects, including several local project in Durack.
The Liberal and Nationals Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said pest animals and weeds threaten our primary productivity, environment, and biodiversity.
The following local projects in Durack had been funded:
- $550,000 to increase the collaboration between WA’s biosecurity framework and the National Feral Deer
Taskforce to assist with training and trials to target local feral deer populations – one containing rusa
deer, a C1 species requiring eradication, and one with red and fallow deer, both C3 species requiring
management. - $124,000 for on ground field trials to improve the uptake of baits by wild dogs and foxes through
enhanced baiting on agricultural and government managed land - $70,000 to help control an infestation of prickly acacia being managed collaboratively between the
Kimberley Rangelands Biosecurity Association in collaboration with Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development - $110,000 to increase the targeted removal of the gamba grass weed to prevent it from becoming
established in northern WA - $140,000 additional funding for rubber vine management to increase the intensity of control programs
aimed at reducing density of the infestations with the long-term goal to eradicate rubber vine
Pest animals cost our farmers and land managers $800 million a year, and weeds over $4 billion a year, in lost
production and control activities.
“This is why we are committing to deliver 36 projects for on-ground activities, in partnership with state and territory governments, grant recipients and service providers to reduce their impact,” Minister Littleproud said.
The Nationals candidate for Durack Ian Blayney said pests and weeds impact not only our farmland, but they have serious environmental impacts and threaten our native species in WA as well.
“It’s vital for our farmland and our environment to get the destruction by feral pests and weeds under control.
“Durack has its share of threats that need to be managed, and I welcome that these funding announcements will help the level of coordination between different groups across a vast area.
“The more we can do to increase the effectiveness and coordination of programs to remove harmful intruders from our natural resources, the better off we will be,” said Mr Blayney.
An overview of the projects is available at www.awe.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/pestanimals-and-weeds/supporting-communities.
Fast facts:
- Since 2014-15, the Coalition Government has invested over $350 million strategically in established pest
animal and weed management where it is in the national interest. - The Supporting Communities Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program provides $49.1 million over four
years (2021-22 to 2024-25). - Nationally, the annual cost of established vertebrate pest animals is estimated to be $800 million and
over $4 billion for weeds in terms of production losses and control activities. The cost to the environment
is difficult to calculate but is likely to be higher. - A 2019 ABARES survey found land managers spent an average of $8,189 annually on pest animal
management, up from $7,304 in 2016. - These projects support implementation of the: National Wild Dog Action Plan, National Feral Pig Action
Plan and the National Feral Deer Action Plan (draft)
