Biosecurity Advisory 27/2024 – Determining our national established weed priorities: Step 1 now open!

Biosecurity Tasmania is involved with the National Established Weed Priorities (NEWP) which is a collaborative initiative to determine and address weed priorities through nationally coordinated actions. NEWP is an initiative of the Environment and Invasives Committee (EIC), guided by a steering group of national representatives.

NEWP’s objective is to reduce the further spread and impacts of established weeds across Australia.

Weeds have a major impact on Australia’s agricultural productivity, imposing a cost of nearly $4.3 billion across Australia each year. They also adversely impact our natural environment, cultural values, human health and community spaces.

Now is your opportunity to help determine national established weed priorities.

Through this nomination process for nationally significant weeds, the EIC are seeking to identify non-native weeds that:

• cause the most significant impacts (current and potential) on Australia’s natural environment, agricultural productivity, cultural values or community spaces
• have feasible management options to reduce these impacts
• have stakeholder support and clear benefits for taking a nationally coordinated approach to containing the species’ spread and improving its management.

Before applying, make sure you’ve read the Guide to nominating a nationally significant weed that explains the process. The EOI is the first step in the process.

To be eligible, the weed must:

• be a single species or a small group of closely related species that are similar in life-form and management requirements
• not be native to Australia
• not be under national eradication
• established in at least one state or territory

Prior weed nominations, such as through the Weed Biocontrol or Weed Scan projects will not be considered for this process. An EOI is needed for NEWP consideration.

For more information please visit National Established Weed Priorities (NEWP) or contact the NEWP Project Team on weedpriorities@aff.gov.au to learn more.