Public responsible for weed fix: Minister

It is “appalling” that no one has been prosecuted since 2010 for failing to control cotton bush on their properties, according to Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray.

In Parliament last week, Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman said that no one had been prosecuted for failing to control cotton bush or two other weeds since 2010, in response to a question from Mr Murray.

Mr Redman reaffirmed that landholders had responsibility to control declared weeds on their properties, such as cotton bush.

“It is not feasible to eradicate these weeds,” Mr Redman said.

“The Department of Agriculture and Food is arranging for a community coordinated response to contain widespread and established weeds in the South West Agricultural region.”

In response, Mr Murray said the department had failed in its responsibility to landholders by failing to inform them of the need to control the weeds and described the lack of fines as “appalling”.

Landholders in the region have raised concerns that absentee landholders and the department were not doing enough to control the spreading weed, which they fear will cut property prices and land productivity.

“We need to knock over only a few property owners with a $500 fine or a warning notice so that they become aware of the problem,” Mr Murray said.

“It has handballed the issue and said that it is the responsibility of the shire or of the farmers.

“It is not their responsibility because many of the plantation areas have these weeds growing through them and they will be very costly to eradicate in the future.”

Department representatives came to Eaton last week for a public workshop on declared weeds, attended by about 90 people.

Dardanup shire deputy president Peter Robinson said the number of people who attended the workshop showed there was deep concern within the community about the spread of declared weed.

“They showed a huge level of concern by showing up – some people came from as far away as Donnybrook- Balingup, Collie and some would have travelled for an hour,” Mr Robinson said.

He said the department visit has convinced him that issuing fines would not fix the problem.

“I have to agree that it’s a community problem and there needs to be combined community action,’’ he said.