Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 19 September 2012:

(1) Have appropriate biological control agents been identified and cultured to address the introduced scale insect at the root of the yellow crazy ant problem on Christmas Island.

(2) What processes are in place to approve the release of the biological control agents.

(3) What statutes or regulations will be required to approve the release of the biological control agents.

(4) How long will this approval process take.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator’s question:

(1) The research project between the Director of National Parks and La Trobe University investigating the feasibility of indirect biological control of yellow crazy ants has identified a potential parasitoid wasp as a likely natural enemy of the scale insect.

(2) It is premature to consider approvals and release processes while further research is undertaken to establish the efficacy and associated risks of importation and release of this potential agent.

(3) The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Quarantine Act 1908 are the primary relevant statutes.

(4) It is premature to speculate at this early stage.