The current regime of Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation for weed prevention and control is inefficient, inconsistent, ad ho, and only partially effective.
This paper outlines the strategic approach, design factors and policy objectives and instruments needed to construct a strong and effective national regulatory framework for weeds.
The major elements of the approach include:
- National border controls that apply the dual permitted-prohibited list system.
- National post-border controls that enables both the legal and efficient movement of specified low risk plant species and prohibits the movement of controlled high risk weeds throughout the whole country.
- State border controls that enable the import of additional specified plant species and prohibit the trade and movement of additional high risk weeds implemented as a statutory State permitted-prohibited list system.
A WWF-Australia issues paper published May 2009.