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About this Newsletter
This is the first Newsletter produced by the Australian Weeds Committee and is aimed at providing outline information and contacts on weed issues that are being addressed at a national level. The Newsletter is to be produced approximately four times per year.
Revised Terms of Reference
The AWC was re-formed in October 2002 to broaden its scope from representing primary industries to covering all weeds within a state or territory. Therefore, Committee Members represent a jurisdiction and are responsible for liaising in that area. At the same time that the restructure occurred new Terms of Reference were agreed.
AWC Secretariat
In April 2003 John Thorp Australia was appointed to provide secretarial services to the AWC for the next three years. This involves progressing all Papers, supporting two face-to-face meetings and conducting teleconferences as required. This part-time position will ensure that the work of the Committee is conducted in a timely and efficient manner. The office is located at 16 Flowers Court, Launceston, Tasmania, 7250. The work is being undertaken by Patricia Richardson.
National Weeds Management Facilitator
In March 2003 John Thorp won the contract to act as the National Weeds Management Facilitator funded under NHT2 and responsible to the Dept of Environment and Heritage (DEH) and the Australian Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). His main responsibilities are:
- liaise with all government agencies involved in weed control and industry/sector groupings in order to maintain an up-to-date knowledge and network of weed management activities throughout Australia and act as a contact point for weed matters;
- facilitate and coordinate cooperative efforts among stakeholders to achieve efficiencies and effectiveness in weed management;
- motivate stakeholder groupings to improve weed management and carry policy messages at a national level
- undertake systematic analysis of national weed control efforts and bring forward recommendations to the Commonwealth Government and the AWC for action to address weaknesses in the national effort;
- report regularly to the Commonwealth Government through DEH and DAFF on developments and progress with national level activity.
contribute to awareness, publicity and promotion on weed matters at a national level.
Principles of Weeds Legislation
The National Weeds Strategy Executive Committee developed a set of principles for weeds legislation as part of their task in implementing the National Weeds Strategy. These principles have been agreed by the Natural Resource Management Standing Committee. Whilst these are not a blueprint for legislation they do highlight the scope of what needs to be covered under legislation. They will be of particular relevance to state or territory policy managers, but may be of interest to the general reader.
Australian Weeds Committee Consultative Committee on Exotic Plant Incursions
This Committee is constituted of AWC Members or delegates, technical experts and industry representation appropriate for the exotic plant detected. The Committee is required:
- to consult immediately following the first detection in Australia of an exotic plant with weed potential.
- to assess the identification, distribution and weed potential of the exotic plant
- to endorse proposed surveillance, containment and control methods devised by the expert panel
- to monitor the eradication project and determine future actions where cost sharing is proposed
- to provide a forum for exchange of information on weed incursions and facilitate establishment of cooperative operational arrangements between parties, and
- to report to NRMSC on weed incursions to the AWC.
Principles to be utilised in determining when an exotic plant incursion warrants a nationally coordinated response with cost sharing
When a plant is detected for the first time in Australia it triggers an opportunity for it to be eradicated under a national program funded by state and territory governments. The contributions made by each party are established based on various cost sharing models which depend upon whether the weeds' impacts are environmental, agricultural or both. Not all plants first detected in Australia will become weeds so there needs to be some assessment as to whether there is a need for eradication. A Paper has been prepared to guide the Australian Weeds Committee Consultative Committee on Exotic Plant Incursions about matters to take into account when considering whether to recommend a species for eradication. The document can be accessed via the web address below.
Eradication Programs in Operation
There are three eradication programs currently approved which are:
Siam weed, branched broomrape and four tropical weeds (miconia, mikania vine, Koster's curse, limnocharis).
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