State gov't calls on north west landowners, councils to combat weeds

Traeger MP Robbie Katter said north west land holders were "under siege" from invasive weeds such as Siam and Bellyache Bush.

In response, a spokesperson for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said the control of noxious weeds was a shared responsibility lying mainly with the property owner and the local council.

"All landholders have a general biosecurity obligation (GBO) under the Biosecurity Act 2014 to manage invasive pests on their land," the spokesperson said.

"This GBO requires landholders to take reasonable and practical steps to minimise the impacts of biosecurity matter on land under their control."

However, Mr Katter said the weeds are rampant on state-owned lands which are then spreading to private property.

"Rail, road, and power corridors, national parks and defence field training areas are the greatest biosecurity threats," he said.

"The Queensland government talks the talk about biosecurity, and land management - it's time that they walk the walk."

The state government said councils have the main responsibility under the biosecurity act and are the best placed organisation to assess risk and to implement plans to tackle the problem.

Mr Katter disagrees and said a lack of staffing and funding by the state government put pressure on producers to foot the clean-up bill each year.

Charters Towers grazier Kylie Stretton said she often feels unsupported in controlling the weeds on her property.

"Graziers and farmers are judged by society and government on our ability to care for the land, however, often there are no harsher critics than ourselves," she said.

"We invest a significant amount of money, time, and effort on a yearly basis to try and keep noxious weeds at bay with no government assistance or even acknowledgement for the work we do."