Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) will begin the 2023/24 Biosecurity Surveillance Program on 1 August.
The program is part of legislative obligations and TRC Environment and Community Committee Portfolio Lead Cr Tim McMahon reinforced how vital it was to undertake this work.
"You only have to look at the recent outbreak of fire ants within the Region, to understand how important it is to stay on top of these matters," he said.
"While the management of fire ants isn't a program controlled by local government, there are a number of invasive plants and animals that we are required to monitor to ensure that landholders are meeting their obligations regarding managing invasive biosecurity matter.
"To do this work, the Biosecurity Surveillance Program allows Council officers to confirm the presence and extent of invasive biosecurity matter on properties within the Region.
"The program will take place across the whole Region with Cooyar, Yarraman, Cambooya, Domville and Jondaryan priority surveillance areas.
"A majority (70% or greater) of properties within those priority areas will be inspected."
Where it is necessary to enter a property in order to complete an inspection, every effort will be made to contact the owner/occupier and obtain their permission to enter.
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, authorised officers are able enter a place without the permission of the occupier of the property, at any reasonable time of the day or night to take any action authorised by the Biosecurity Program.
While this is the case, Council's authorised officers have never been required to exercise authority to enter a place without the permission of the occupier of the property. Agreement is always sought and has always been forthcoming.
The Biosecurity Surveillance Program will commence on 1 August 2023 and conclude on 30 July 2024.
