Regional Biosecurity Plan a first for North West Queensland
Weeds and pests don’t stop at council boundaries and the 10 councils of North West Queensland (NWQ) are taking a united approach to tackling issues and enhancing our landscapes across the region with a new Regional Biosecurity Plan developed by Southern Gulf NRM with councils launched in Julia Creek today.
North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NWQROC) have endorsed a the NWQ Regional Biosecurity Plan which includes the 10 councils in the region - Croydon and the nine NWQROC member councils Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Doomadgee, Etheridge, Flinders, McKinlay, Mount Isa and Richmond.
NWQROC directors, council representatives and SGNRM launch the Regional NRM Plan in Burketown.
Over the past 12 months, Southern Gulf Natural Resource Management has worked closely with the councils to develop a Regional Biosecurity Plan that focuses attention on weed and pest management.
The shared Regional Biosecurity Plan has been developed to meet all ten councils' requirements for a Biosecurity Plan under the Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld). The councils involved in the development are Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Croydon, Doomadgee, Etheridge, Flinders, McKinlay, and Richmond Shire Councils, and Mount Isa City Council. Far more than just meeting the minimum requirements of the Act, the councils have identified and classified their weeds on a catchment basis and provided a definition of their general biosecurity obligation across dozens of weeds and pests and for each catchment.
This plan is a major step forward in the battle to reduce the impact of weeds and pests on agriculture and the environment. The plan is also a blueprint of coordination and collaboration across councils, Southern Gulf NRM and other key organisations in north west Queensland.
Carpentaria Shire Mayor and Chair of NWQROC, Cr Jack Bawden thanked all the community members, businesses and agencies who participated in developing the Regional Biosecurity Plan. He made particular mention of the councillors and council staff from across all ten Councils for their efforts in making the plan a reality.
Cr Bawden also acknowledged the lead role Southern Gulf NRM has played in producing the Plan, especially Robyn Young, Southern Gulf NRM's, NRM Project Officer Weed and Pest Management, who has worked diligently across all the organisations involved to ensure we have a fantastic plan for the whole region.
The plan has been through several rounds of consultation in each local government area and specific meetings with industry over the past 12 months allowing stakeholders opportunity for comment.
Flinders Shire Mayor and Deputy Chair of NWQROC, Cr Jane McNamara said, "Now the planning is in place, it is time for significantly increased investment into weed and pest management across the North West to put this plan to work."
The jointly shared Regional Biosecurity Plan is a five-year plan.
>> Download the North West Queensland Regional Biosecurity Plan
Available for Interview & Media Contact:
Greg Hoffman, CEO, North West Qld Regional Organisation of Councils
p. 0418 756 005
e. NWQROC@carpentaria.qld.gov.au
Geoff Penton, CEO, Southern Gulf NRM
p. 07 4743 1888 or 0408 871 978
e. ceo@southerngulf.com.au
Southern Gulf is the Natural Resource Management organisation for the Southern Gulf region of North West Queensland. We work with the community to deliver projects that improve and protect our region's natural resources and to maintain the prosperity of industries that rely on these. The Southern Gulf water catchment region includes all the land whose creeks and rivers run into the southern Gulf of Carpentaria. This encompasses an area of 215,000sq km.
