Final report

In May 2014, the Commission submitted a final report to the then Minister for Primary Industries detailing recommendations and findings for its review of weed management in NSW.

The NSW Government has formally responded to the Commission's recommendations, and details are available on the Department of Primary Industries website.

The final report was informed by research, consultation and over 300 public submissions in response to the issues paper and draft report. The submissions and consultation highlighted the impact that weeds have on a range of stakeholder groups, and provided useful insights that directly informed the final recommendations. The Commission appreciates the time stakeholders took in participating in public meetings and preparing thoughtful submissions.

The final report outlines a comprehensive package of recommendations. The recommendations focus on avoiding future costs by improving prevention, early detection and rapid response, while ensuring consistent compliance across tenures and rebuilding research and development capacity.

The Commission also commissioned Grain Growers Limited to complete a review of the economic impacts of weeds to support the weed management review.

Research report - The economic cost of weeds in NSW (Grain Growers Limited, May 2014)

Submission to the proposed Framework for a NSW Biosecurity Act

The Department of Primary Industries released the proposed Framework for a NSW Biosecurity Act for public comment in June 2014. The Commission submitted a response informed by the findings from its weed management review.

Commission's submission to the proposed Framework for a NSW Biosecurity Act (June 2014)

Previous reports

As part of the review the Commission released a draft report in February 2014 outlining draft findings and recommendations and inviting submissions.

The draft report was informed by research, consultation and over 200 public submissions in response to the initial issues paper that was released in October 2013.

Draft report (February 2014)
Media Release - Have your say on draft report (February 2014)
Issues paper (October 2013)
Media Release - Have your say on issues paper (October 2013)

Public meetings

The Commission consulted with stakeholders in March with seven public meetings (see schedule).

Schedule of public meetings

19 March South Grafton District Ex-Servicemen's Club, 2 Wharf Street
20 March Armidale City Bowling Club, 92 Dumaresq Street
21 March Dubbo RSL Club Resort, Cnr Brisbane and Wingewarra Streets
25 March Cowra Services Club, 101 Brisbane Street
26 March Rydges Parramatta, 116-118 James Ruse Drive, Rosehill
27 March Wagga Wagga Commercial Club, 77 Gurwood Street
28 March Nowra Golf Club, Fairway Drive, North Nowra

About the review

Through a terms of reference, the then Minister for Primary Industries asked the Commission to undertake an independent evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of weed management arrangements in NSW with a view to inform the further development of the proposed NSW Biosecurity Act, and other relevant strategies under the NSW Biosecurity Strategy.

The Commission was asked to:

  • assess (based on existing data) the distribution and abundance of weeds across NSW and their impacts and likely trajectories
  • evaluate current regulatory and institutional arrangements across both public and private tenures
  • evaluate weed management programs funded by the Australian and NSW Governments
  • identify and assess viable alternative weed management arrangements
  • provide advice on potential transitional arrangements for the future implementation of the NSW Biosecurity Act and NSW Biosecurity Strategy.

For the purpose of this review, "weeds" are defined as both introduced and native species but are limited to terrestrial and freshwater aquatic species only.

The Minister asked the Commissioner to establish a steering committee to ensure the terms of reference were met and that stakeholder input was properly considered.

The steering committee consisted of Cr Reg Kidd, Chair of the Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee, Dr Bruce Christie of Biosecurity NSW, and Mr Mick O'Flynn of the then Office of Environment and Heritage.

Submissions

The Commission treats all submissions as public and makes them available on the NRC website unless clearly marked confidential or deemed offensive. Any personal contact information in the submissions is managed in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Act 1988 and the Commission's privacy policy.

The Commission's draft report attracted a total of 109 submissions, with 90 submissions published on this page and 19 confidential submissions not published.

In response to the issues paper, the Commission received a total of 206 submissions, with 180 submissions published on this page and 26 confidential submissions not published.

The following submissions are made available in accordance with the Commission's privacy policy.

Submissions on draft report

(This table has sortable columns. Click on column heading to sort data.)

Date of receipt Submission provider
17/04/2014 Invasive Species Council (1.05 MB)
16/04/2014 Nambucca Shire Council
15/04/2014 West Dapto Rural Ratepayers Association
10/04/2014 Sydney Weeds Committees
09/04/2014 Andrew Pullen
08/04/2014 NSW Farmers
08/04/2014 Serrated Tussock Working Party
07/04/2014 Bob Manning
07/04/2014 Castlereagh Macquarie County Council
07/04/2014 Cowra Shire Council
07/04/2014 Jill Merrin
07/04/2014 Julie Marlow
07/04/2014 Mid Western Regional Council
07/04/2014 Northern Inland Weeds Advisory Committee
07/04/2014 The Council of the Shire of Bourke
07/04/2014 Weddin Shire Council
06/04/2014 Australian Association of Bush Regenerators Inc
06/04/2014 Dr Bill Johnston
06/04/2014 Julie Sheppard
06/04/2014 Landcare NSW Inc
06/04/2014 Palerang Council
06/04/2014 Pamela Reeves
06/04/2014 Pittwater Natural Heritage Association
06/04/2014 Ross Muller
06/04/2014 Ryde Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society
06/04/2014 Sky Kidd
06/04/2014 Stewart thompson
06/04/2014 Terry Inglis
05/04/2014 Malcolm Milner
05/04/2014 Nancy Pallin
05/04/2014 Prof Don White
04/04/2014 Central NSW Councils
04/04/2014 Central West Environmental Council
04/04/2014 Cobar Shire Council
04/04/2014 Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC
04/04/2014 Eurobodalla Shire Council
04/04/2014 Friends of the Koala
04/04/2014 G Robertson and M Ning
04/04/2014 Illawarra District Noxious Weeds Authority
04/04/2014 Lachlan Valley Weeds Advisory Committee
04/04/2014 Local Government NSW
04/04/2014 Lockhart Shire Council
04/04/2014 Lord Howe Island Board
04/04/2014 NSW North Coast Weed Advisory Committee
04/04/2014 NSW Weeds Officers Association
04/04/2014 Queanbeyan Landcare
04/04/2014 R Hawkins
04/04/2014 Riverina Eastern Noxious Weeds Authority
04/04/2014 Rosie White
04/04/2014 Snowy River Shire Council
04/04/2014 Southern Councils Group
04/04/2014 Southern tablelands and South Coast Noxious Plants Committee
04/04/2014 Wagga Wagga City Council (2.44 MB)
04/04/2014 Yass Valley Council
03/04/2014 Blue Mountains City Council
03/04/2014 Central Murray County Council and Conargo Shire Council
03/04/2014 ERNWAG and WRNWAG
03/04/2014 Friends of Grasslands
03/04/2014 Graeme Crain (1.80 MB)
03/04/2014 Hawkesbury River County Council
03/04/2014 Hunter Central Coast Weeds
03/04/2014 Lake Macquarie City Council
03/04/2014 Macquarie Valley Weeds Advisory Committee
03/04/2014 Monaro Regional Weeds Committee
03/04/2014 New England Weeds Authority
03/04/2014 Roger Smith
03/04/2014 The Weed Society of NSW
03/04/2014 Upper Hunter Weeds Authority
03/04/2014 Wendy Bushell
02/04/2014 Tony Butteriss
02/04/2014 Cootamundra Shire Council
02/04/2014 Department of Agriculture
02/04/2014 Dubbo City Council
02/04/2014 Hillary Cherry
02/04/2014 Michael Forsyth
02/04/2014 Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society
02/04/2014 Primary Industries Ministerial Advisory Council
02/04/2014 Tony Hill
01/04/2014 Griffith City Council
01/04/2014 Rob Pallin
31/03/2014 Clarence Environment Centre Inc
29/03/2014 Joanne Marshall
27/03/2014 L Nobe
27/03/2014 Scott Tourle
27/03/2014 STEP Inc.
23/03/2014 Pauline Downing
20/03/2014 Dr Mahri Koch
19/03/2014 Ifeanna Tooth
17/03/2014 Tumut Shire Council
25/02/2014 EVS Prakasa Rao

Submissions on issues paper

(This table has sortable columns. Click on column heading to sort data.)

Date of receipt Submission provider
16/01/2014 Hawkesbury Nepean CMA (1.23 MB)
16/12/2013 Bourke Shire Council (1.23 MB)
16/12/2013 Forestry Corporation of NSW
16/12/2013 Leeton Shire Council
16/12/2013 Office of Environment and Heritage (6.39 MB)
16/12/2013 Sydney Catchment Authority
12/12/2013 Invasive Species Council (1.52 MB)
12/12/2013 Lord Howe Island Board
12/12/2013 NSW Scientific Committee
11/12/2013 Murray Catchment Management Authority
10/12/2013 Glen Innes Severn Council
10/12/2013 Wakool Shire Council
09/12/2013 Border Rivers Gwydir Catchment Management Authority
09/12/2013 Central West Catchment Management Authority
09/12/2013 Gary Thompson
09/12/2013 Jane Judd
09/12/2013 Northern Inland Council for the Environment
09/12/2013 NSW Farmers Association
09/12/2013 South East Regional Councils (1.32 MB)
09/12/2013 Tamworth Regional Council
08/12/2013 Margaret Richardson
07/12/2013 E V S Prakasa Rao
06/12/2013 Albury City Council (2.08 MB)
06/12/2013 Australian Association of Bush Regenerators Inc.
06/12/2013 Australian Network for Plant Conservation Inc.
06/12/2013 Bellingen Shire Council
06/12/2013 Boorowa Council
06/12/2013 Bowning and Bookham District Landcare Group (1.12 MB)
06/12/2013 Central West Councils Salinity and Water Quality Alliance
06/12/2013 Central West Environmental Council
06/12/2013 Christine McRae
06/12/2013 City of Wagga Wagga Council
06/12/2013 Clarence Valley Council
06/12/2013 Coffs Harbour City Council
06/12/2013 Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
06/12/2013 Dan Mathews
06/12/2013 David Dempster
06/12/2013 David Smith
06/12/2013 Dr Peter Cuneo
06/12/2013 Dr R.G. Hawkins
06/12/2013 Dubbo City Council
06/12/2013 Eurobodalla Shire Council (1.30 MB)
06/12/2013 Friends of the Koalas Inc.
06/12/2013 Ginninderra Catchment Group
06/12/2013 Glen Hardie 2
06/12/2013 Gunnedah Shire Council
06/12/2013 Hornsby Shire Council
06/12/2013 Hunter Central Coast Weeds
06/12/2013 Illawarra District Noxious Weeds Authority
06/12/2013 Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society Inc.
06/12/2013 Local Government NSW
06/12/2013 Long Swamp Enterprises
06/12/2013 Margaret Lund
06/12/2013 Mid North Coast Weeds Coordinating Committee
06/12/2013 Molonglo Catchment Group
06/12/2013 Moree Plains Shire Council
06/12/2013 Mudgee District Environment Group
06/12/2013 Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority
06/12/2013 Namoi Catchment Management Authority
06/12/2013 Nancy Pallin
06/12/2013 NSW Aboriginal Land Council
06/12/2013 NSW Weeds Officers' Association
06/12/2013 Palerang Council (1.35 MB)
06/12/2013 Paul Recher
06/12/2013 Peter Heeley
06/12/2013 Pittwater Natural Heritage Association
06/12/2013 Queanbeyan Landcare Inc.
06/12/2013 Richard Hocking
06/12/2013 Ryde Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society
06/12/2013 Shoalhaven Landcare Association
06/12/2013 Southern Councils Group
06/12/2013 Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority
06/12/2013 State Water Corporation
06/12/2013 STEP Inc.
06/12/2013 Temora Shire Council (3.60 MB)
06/12/2013 Upper Hunter Weeds Authority
06/12/2013 Wollondilly Shire Council
06/12/2013 Wollongong City Council
05/12/2013 Anna Stapleton
05/12/2013 Anthony Petrolo
05/12/2013 Bega Valley Shire Council
05/12/2013 Blue Mountains City Council
05/12/2013 Bombala Council
05/12/2013 Coffs Coast Bush Regeneration
05/12/2013 Coffs Harbour Regional Landcare
05/12/2013 Corowa Shire Council
05/12/2013 Donald Ferris
05/12/2013 Friends of Lane Cove National Park
05/12/2013 Greater Hume Shire Council
05/12/2013 Hawkesbury River County Council (2.04 MB)
05/12/2013 Inverell Shire Council
05/12/2013 John Wackett
05/12/2013 Kris Hely
05/12/2013 Michael Sim
05/12/2013 Monaro Regional Weeds Committee
05/12/2013 Rae and Noel Rosten
05/12/2013 Rosemary Blemings
05/12/2013 Seal Rocks Protection Society
05/12/2013 Shellharbour City Council
05/12/2013 Shoalhaven City Council
05/12/2013 Shoalhaven City Council Bushcare Program
05/12/2013 Southern Tablelands and South Coast Noxious Plants Committee
05/12/2013 Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Committee
05/12/2013 Wentworth Shire Council
05/12/2013 Wyong Shire Council
04/12/2013 Far North Coast Weeds
04/12/2013 Far South Coast Landcare Association
04/12/2013 Graham Scully
04/12/2013 Griffith City Council
04/12/2013 Holbrook Landcare Network
04/12/2013 Michael Forsyth
04/12/2013 Moss Vale Landcare Group
04/12/2013 Stanislaw and Barbara Pelczynska
03/12/2013 Alan Gillanders
03/12/2013 Australian Plants Society Sutherland Group
03/12/2013 Balranald Shire Council
03/12/2013 Bev Debrincat
03/12/2013 Cobar Shire Council
03/12/2013 Country Women's Association of NSW
03/12/2013 Don Matthews
03/12/2013 Graham Hardwick
03/12/2013 Jennifer Slattery
03/12/2013 Kara Smith
03/12/2013 Lee Plover
03/12/2013 MacMasters Beach Bushcare Group
03/12/2013 Mary-Lou Lewis
03/12/2013 Phil Wake
03/12/2013 Primary Industries Ministerial Advisory Council
03/12/2013 Stephen Green
03/12/2013 Stephen McLeod
03/12/2013 Stewart Thompson
03/12/2013 Tim Woodward
02/12/2013 Ben Ricketts Environmental Preserve Pty Ltd
02/12/2013 Central Murray County Council
02/12/2013 Eastern and Western Riverina Noxious Weeds Advisory Group
02/12/2013 Helen Macrae
02/12/2013 Katherine Howards
02/12/2013 Prof Bruce Auld
02/12/2013 Shaun Gilchrist
02/12/2013 Towamba Valley Landcare Group
02/12/2013 Yass Valley Council (1.84 MB)
30/11/2013 John Hayhoe
30/11/2013 Maralyn Lawson
30/11/2013 Terry J Wall
29/11/2013 Anne Matheson
29/11/2013 Central West Lachlan Landcare (1.44 MB)
29/11/2013 Jane Lemann OAM
29/11/2013 Macquarie Valley Weeds Advisory Committee (4.33 MB)
29/11/2013 Mid-Western Regional Council (1.18 MB)
29/11/2013 New England Weeds Authority (1.94 MB)
28/11/2013 Prof Paul Martin
27/11/2013 Peter Stark
25/11/2013 Ross L Muller
22/11/2013 Andrew Morton
22/11/2013 Brian Worboys
22/11/2013 Jenny Beer
20/11/2013 Blue Mountains Conservation Society
20/11/2013 Robert Pallin
20/11/2013 Tussock Working Party (1.08 MB)
20/11/2013 Upper Kangaroo Valley Landcare
19/11/2013 Ashley Bland
19/11/2013 John Fry
18/11/2013 Les Mitchell
17/11/2013 Ford Kristo
12/11/2013 Glen Hardie
11/11/2013 David Brennan
11/11/2013 John Ward
11/11/2013 Marc Stettner
11/11/2013 Sheila Woods
11/11/2013 Tim Baker
07/11/2013 Annie Boutland
07/11/2013 HF Monks
06/11/2013 Malcolm Tompson
05/11/2013 Malcolm Rouse
05/11/2013 Tumut Shire Council
05/11/2013 Wendy Bushell
04/11/2013 Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority
01/11/2013 Judith Blundell
01/11/2013 Steve Taylor