The Northern Territory’s 30-year old Biological Control Act has been updated after the Biological Control Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament yesterday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Ken Vowles, said the new legislation will help protect the Territory’s valuable agricultural industry from pests and diseases, and allow the Territory to participate in future national biological control programs.
“Our agricultural sector was worth $736 million in 2015-16, and creates thousands of jobs across the Territory,” Mr Vowles said.
“We need to do all we can to protect it, and our environment, from damaging pests. Using biological control agents to do this means we have an extra item in the toolbox to fight and control plant and animal pests. It also means we can reduce the use of costly chemicals.”
The Act allows for the use of biological agents, such as viruses, to address introduced pests and diseases.
“The Biological Control Amendment Bill mirrors legislation in other jurisdictions, and implements the same provisions as the Commonwealth Biological Control Act,” Mr Vowles said.
“By passing the Bill we are allowing the Territory to join a national fight to protect our agriculture and environment.”