Territory Alliance to create $20 million gamba grass fighting fund if elected in August

THE NT would be armed with a gamba grass commissioner and $5 million a year to fight the destructive weed under a Territory Alliance government.

Territory Alliance candidates Rachael Wright (Goyder), Andy Harley (Nelson) and Terry Mills (Blain) with some gamba grass. Picture: Madura McCormack

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THE NT would be armed with a gamba grass commissioner and $5 million a year to fight the destructive weed under a Territory Alliance government.

Party leader Terry Mills yesterday announced Territory Alliance would spend $20 million across four years to battle the scourge of the pest weed.

The plan, funded by reprioritising cash within the existing Environment budget, would be led by a commissioner that answers to the chief minister’s department.

The commissioner would be supported by a taskforce to “co-ordinate a community-led approach” to the control of gamba grass in the Territory.

Mr Mills said that by the NT government taking gamba grass seriously, the Federal Government would be pushed to act and increase their financial share toward controlling the issue.

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Gamba grass is a declared “weed of national significance” that is incredibly destructive because it burns much hotter than native grasses and increases the fuel load per hectare from two to three tonnes to 30 tonnes.

It was brought into the NT as cattle feed in the 1930s but has turned into a multimillion-dollar a year headache which now threatens wildlife and native vegetation.

Territory Alliance candidate for Nelson Andy Harley, a volunteer firefighter, said it was normal to see fire trucks driving around with “melted mirrors” due to the heat of gamba grass that can reach up to 1000C compared to the 350C of normal grass.

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Territory Alliance’s proposed ‘Gamba Control Taskforce’ would be made up of five representatives from the communities in affected areas and the NT Government agencies of Primary Industries; Environment; Infrastructure and Planning; Parks and Wildlife, Bushfires NT and Aboriginal organisations.

“The CLP and Labor have dropped the ball on eradicating gamba grass. It has been a weed of national significance for 10 years and is increasing its rate of incursion into our beautiful Litchfield and Kakadu national parks,” Mr Mills said.