The average suburban garden might seem harmless enough, but many popular plants invade Australian farms, costing almost $4 billion a year, said Ian Cohen, NSW Greens Upper House MP.
“More than three-quarters of weeds come from home gardens and are spread by wind, water, animals and birds, people's shoes or machinery, dumping of garden waste or, more recently, by Internet orders of plants from overseas,” Mr Cohen said.
“Some popular plants such as freesias, forget-me-nots, pampas grass, gazanias and many succulents and cacti are weeds. Escaped invasive garden plants make up two-thirds of the foreign plants now established in Australia as weeds, according to the World Wildlife Fund [WWF].
“Weeds cost taxpayers a cool $3.9 billion per annum in lower farm incomes and higher food costs, according to the Weeds Co-operative Research Centre at the University of New England. Another $116 million is spent each year by Commonwealth, State and local governments to monitor, control, manage and research weeds.
“Weeds degrade the landscape and displace native plants and animals, pollute waterways and create bushfire hazards. They can cause serious health problems through increased allergies and asthma.
“The State and Federal governments should do more to expand a scheme to remove existing weeds from gardens, and replace them with safe alternatives.
“The Grow Me Instead initiative of the Nursery and Garden Industry New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, assisted by the New South Wales Government, is commendable, but more needs to be done.
“The Greens are calling for a national mandatory labelling program to highlight these threatening plants, so consumers can have a fully informed choice about the impacts of the plants they are buying from their local nursery,” he said.
Further Information: Ian Cohen 0409 989 466 or 9230 2603
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