Western Australia must tackle invasive species head on

Why change is needed

In general terms, protection of the state’s rural industries has been well served by current institutional arrangements. However, five significant issues have arisen in recent years and existing institutions are not sufficiently well equipped to respond to them.

First, government funding for the management of invasive species has been reduced by successive governments, with rural landowners regularly complaining of national parks, state forest and other public lands containing high levels of invasive species. Re-invasion of private farmland on which the landowner has already controlled invasive species then occurs from this public land.

Second, key parts of the southwest have seen large increases in population in a “sea change” movement of people from metropolitan areas to smaller rural, coastal towns. Many of these people now live on small holdings - hobby farms or rural lifestyle blocks - and their commitment to controlling invasive species is often less than it should be.

Third, the environmental threat posed by many invasive species has the potential to significantly impact upon tourism, Australia’s third largest export industry. At the same time, the biodiversity values of regions, such as the southwest, are only now becoming apparent, with invasive species, such as Phytophthora and bridal creeper, asparagus asparagoides, having the potential to cause widespread changes to natural ecosystems. Economic losses through reduced ecotourism potential are a real possibility.

Fourth, the Western Australian community is now more environmentally conscious that at any time in its history. However, no government agency has been given the task of informing and educating the public on the many issues associated with invasive species. Since early detection of the presence of an invasive species can often allow rapid eradication rather than expensive, on-going control, it makes sense to keep the public of Western Australia well informed of all issues relating to invasive species.

Finally, current institutional arrangements for managing invasive species have not allowed effective integration between government agencies. For example, the recently formed Dieback Response Group does not include representatives from the state’s horticultural industries, even though Phytophthora is a serious threat to avocado plantations and domestic gardens. The group operates through the Department of Conservation and Land Management, with no formal institutional ties to the Department of Agriculture or the Agricultural Protection Board (APB). An ability to bring all groups involved in invasive species issues together under one roof so as to maximise integration and co-operation is essential.

A new institutional arrangement which focuses on integrating all biosecurity issues in Western Australia is required to manage these relatively new problems, together with the ongoing issues currently being handled by the APB.

The way forward

The WA Government should establish a Western Australian Invasive Species Council. Its roles would include all responsibilities currently managed by the APB and additional tasks, including public education. It should be able to provide specialist scientific advice to government, industry and the community on all aspects of the threats posed by invasive species. It should advise government on preferred control options for invasive species already present in WA. To gain public support for the control and eradication of invasive species, one of the council’s key roles should be in undertaking community education.

The council would be able to identify the costs currently suffered from invasive species, while determining future costs to the environment and the economy, should existing invasive species remain or new species enter the state.

By establishing a body consisting of government agencies and representatives from the scientific community, in combination with members of the public and rural industries, the council could provide a co-ordinated and integrated approach to the understanding and management of invasive species.