Mia Davies MP, The Nationals candidate for Bullwinkel, has accused the state government of dropping the ball when responding to the continued spread of the polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB).
Raising the matter in state parliament this week, the opposition moved a matter of public importance condemning the Cook Labor Government for failing to take biosecurity seriously.
“This Government that has dropped the ball on biosecurity, leaving our agricultural sector and native flora at serious risk,” she said.
“The PSHB is a pest we do not want here in Australia, but sadly it has made its way in, devastating the Perth suburban tree canopy with the potential to spread to the Hills, Avon Valley and beyond.”
Ms Davies said communities and businesses in the expanded quarantine area are now on tenterhooks.
“I have recently visited with a local business in the Hills whose future would be wiped out if the PSHB continues to spread unchecked,” Ms Davies said.
“I have also spoken to local government representatives in the electorate of Bullwinkel who have shared their frustration and concern.
“The replanting program is welcome, but the feedback to me is that we need to be planning for the reality this will be declared an endemic species pest.”
Ms Davies said once declared endemic, the cost of management would fall predominantly to local government and private landowners to manage.
“It is time significant resources are allocated for research into management solutions, as there is no guarantee that the pest could be eradicated,” she said.
“Surely we can walk and chew gum – deal with the immediate challenge and start thinking about how we can manage this into the future to preserve people’s livelihoods and our natural environment.”
The Nationals candidate for Kalamunda Lisa Logan said either the minister for agriculture was not fighting hard enough around the cabinet table; or she was, and her colleagues were ignoring her.
“Either way, it is our communities that will be left with a depleted tree canopy, loss of income and livelihood,” she said.
