Untamed gamba grass could result in a devastating fire season in the Top End

One of the Territory’s biggest environmental threats remains untamed as fire season kicks off.

LIVES will be put in danger because of the threat of gamba grass this dry season, according to a Top End property owner.

Former CDU Conservation and Land Management lecturer and property owner Andrew Spiers said the invasive weed gamba grass could be a major issue during fire season as it was still widespread through the NT.

“While there’s gamba in the landscape, the fire seasons will always be dangerous,” Mr Spiers said.

“I’ve seen a couple of houses burn down to the ground because there was gamba all around them and nothing could be done to save the house.

“Firefighters are put in danger by people not controlling gamba on their properties.”

Mr Spiers said gamba grass could destroy environments.

“Gamba will destroy the natural values of my property,” he said.

“It will destroy the natural habitat.”

Feedback on the NT government’s Weed Management Plan for Gamba Grass 2020-2030 closed last week.

Gamba grass was a key election issue in the federal election in the Northern Territory as Labor pledged $9.8m to combat the weed.

Humpty Doo community member Pauline Cass said certain organisations worked hard to prevent the dangers of gamba grass but received no further help from the government.

“The Northern Territory has some great programs such as the Gamba Army, which works to get rid of more gamba in our parks and reserves, and Gamba Action Program, which supports people getting rid of gamba on their blocks, but a lack of funding means that these programs are unable to meet the expectations and needs of the community,” Ms Cass said.

“The cost of herbicide has more than doubled in the past two years, yet the funding for the Gamba Action Program has remained the same, meaning less free herbicide will be available to landholders who rely on this program to meet their legal obligations for their gamba grass, such as having a 15m gamba free buffer around all property boundaries.

“Meanwhile, the extremely popular and successful Gamba Army has also not been funded for the 2022/23 gamba spraying season yet.”

Ms Cass said this could be the last chance for the NT government to make a difference.

“Because of pressure from Territorians we’ve seen unprecedented political momentum for gamba action at all levels,” she said.

“Now we need to see funding allocated ahead of this wet season.

“The NT government and the federal government have the chance to get this right but that means acting now.”

Environment, Climate Change, and Water Security Minister Lauren Moss said the NT government was hard at work to fix the gamba grass problem.

“The Territory Labor Government is committed to protecting our natural environment, which includes weed management,” she said.

“We continue to invest in the prevention and eradication of gamba grass across the Top End with a number of activities as part of our overarching Gamba Management Framework.

“In Budget 2022 our Government has again committed $525,000 per year for gamba risk mitigation, with Bushfires NT and the Weeds Branch of the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security working together to manage the threat of gamba fires.”