In Western Australia, a Declared Weed is a plant that has been listed as a Declared Pest under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (BAM Act).
You can check the status of a species (whether it is a permitted organism or a declared pest) using the Western Australian Organism List (WAOL).
Who manages declared weeds?
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) determine Declared Pests under the BAM Act (2007) in accordance with the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Regulations 2013. While DPIRD is the lead government agency determining declared weeds, it takes a cooperative effort of other government agencies, local government authorities (LGAs) and industry and community members to tackle the complex problems that weeds pose. DBCA manage declared weeds on DBCA estate within its capacity with a focus on protecting the environment, native species and biodiversity.
While the BAM Act can provide a process for forcing control of weeds that pose a significant risk, not all bushland weeds that have a severe impact on natural ecosystems are declared. Therefore, while DBCA considers the legal status of weed species, it does not solely rely on this to determine control priorities for the natural ecosystems the department manages.
Instead, DBCA assesses weed species in each region based on their ecological impact, current and potential distribution, invasiveness, and the feasibility of controlling them. This species-led prioritisation process helps identify the weeds considered high impact, rapidly invasive and still at a population size that can feasibly be eradicated or contained to a manageable size.
How are weeds assessed and declared?
Under the BAM Act, plants (and other organisms) can be declared as:
| Permitted organisms under section 11 | Organisms that are allowed entry into WA. |
| Prohibited Declared organisms under section 12 | Organisms that are prohibited from entry into WA. |
| Unlisted organisms under section 14 | Organisms are 'unlisted' when not declared permitted or prohibited. |
| Declared Pest under section 22(2) | Pests that are present in WA and under a control category. |
Weeds may be declared using the following criteria,
- if the weed has or may have an adverse effect on;
- another organism in the area; or
- or human beings in the area;
- or the environment, or part of the environment in the area;
- or agricultural activities, fishing or pearling activities, or related commercial activities, carried on, or intended to be carried on, in the area;
- may have an adverse effect on any of those things if it were present in the area, or if it were present in the area in greater numbers or to a greater extent.
- available resources and money also contribute to the declaration of weeds, including the economic impact a weed may cause.
Weeds which have been assessed and have not been declared may then be assigned a legal status of Permitted organism (section 11) or Unlisted organism (section 14).
Control and Keeping Categories
Control and Keeping Categories are assigned to both prohibited and non-prohibited organisms listed as Declared Pests under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Regulations 2013.
Control Categories declare what state of the control phase individual weeds are in within Western Australia, while Keeping Categories determine under what conditions an organism may be kept.
Assignment of Control and Keeping categories are determined in consideration of whether the Declared Weed is present within WA, the extent of its population, the feasibility to control the species and the social, environmental, agricultural and industry impacts the species may or does impose.
Declared Pests may be assigned to one of the following Control and Keeping Categories. Prohibited Organisms may only be assessed as C1 (Exclusion) or C2 (Eradication), and as Prohibited Keeping or Restricted Keeping. Non-prohibited declared pests can be assigned to any of the Control and Keeping categories.
Control categories:
- Category 1 (C1) — Exclusion: if in the opinion of the Minister introduction of the declared pest into an area or part of an area for which it is declared should be prevented;
- Category 2 (C2) — Eradication: if in the opinion of the Minister eradication of the declared pest from an area or part of an area for which it is declared is feasible;
- Category 3 (C3) — Management: if in the opinion of the Minister eradication of the declared pest from an area or part of an area for which it is declared is not feasible but that it is necessary to
- alleviate the harmful impact of the declared pest in the area; or
- reduce the number or distribution of the declared pest in the area; or
- prevent or contain the spread of the declared pest in the area.
Keeping categories:
- Prohibited keeping: if in the opinion of the Minister keeping the declared pest in an area or part of an area for which it is declared should be prohibited except under the authority of a permit to keep
- at a zoological park; or
- at a scientific organisation approved by the Minister; or
- for scientific, education or government operational purposes;
- Restricted keeping: if in the opinion of the Minister keeping the declared pest in an area or part of an area for which it is declared should be restricted to keeping
- under the authority of a permit; or
- in an approved quarantine facility in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the approval of the quarantine facility;
- Exempt keeping: if in the opinion of the Minister keeping the declared pest in an area or part of an area for which it is declared should be exempt from any requirement under the Act in relation to keeping.
| C1 Exclusion | Plants which should be excluded from part or all of the State. |
|---|---|
| C2 Eradication | Plants which should be eradicated from part or all of the State. |
| C3 Management | Plants that should have some form of management applied to alleviate its harmful impacts, reduce numbers or distribution, or prevent further spread. Note: Prohibited organisms (s12) cannot be assigned C3. |
| Unassigned | Declared Pests that are recognised as having harmful impacts under certain circumstances, where their subsequent control requirements are determined by a plan or other legislative arrangements under the Act. |
The declaration status should reflect:
- the pest’s spread, abundance and impact on both public and private interests
- an understanding of the public and private benefit in controlling the pest the capability, capacity, time and costs to control the pest.