2014-06-17 Infrastructure and Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                    17 JUNE 2014


12                        LOCAL AREA PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN
DOCUMENT IN FOR MATI ON




Author                               Environment Officer, Peter Milne
                                     Planning and Infrastructure

Index                                ECM/Subject/Environmental Management/Environment Management
                                     Plans

Attachments                          1.   Sunshine Coast Pest Management Plan
                                     (104 PAGE ATTACHMENT PROVIDED AS SEPARATE DOCUMENT)


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Environment Officer to the Infrastructure & Services
Committee Meeting dated 17 June 2014 and resolve to develop a Noosa Local Government Area
Pest Management Plan 2014-2018 for Council consideration as outlined in Option 2 of the report.


REPORT
The Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002 requires Local Government
to develop a Local Area Pest Management Plan (PMP) to manage pest animals and plants. The
PMP is a community plan, not just a Council plan, involving regional natural resource
management groups, State and local government agencies, landholders and environment groups
(NGOs).

The Sunshine Coast Local Government Area Pest Management Plan 2012-2016, covering
Noosa, was approved by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Regional Economies in 2012. The
Land Protection Act requires local government, with stakeholders, to review the effectiveness of
their PMP each year.

It should be noted that a Proposed Pest Survey Program 2014-2015, also a requirement of the
Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002, is the subject of a separate
Council report from the Manager Waste and Environmental Health.

The Biosecurity Act was passed in Parliament on 6 March 2014, but does not come into effect
until July 2016. The Biosecurity Act replaces the provisions of the Land Protection (Pest and
Stock Route Management) Act concerning pest plant and animal species. The new act requires
Council to develop a Biosecurity Plan in 2016, or after the life of any current PMPs.

A number of options have been explored for Noosa pest management planning:

1.                        Continue with the Sunshine Coast Local Government Area Pest Management Plan
                          2012-2016

                          Under the de-amalgamation regulations, the Sunshine Coast Local Area Pest Management
                          Plan can be regarded as the guiding document for Noosa’s pest management planning
                          until 2016. Under the Biosecurity Act, Council is required to have a Biosecurity Plan after
                          2016, i.e. Council would need to start drafting the new Biosecurity Plan in 2015.


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