Push for national plan to tackle mice plague

Labor has written to the Agriculture Minister demanding a plan to deal the waves of mice across regional Australia.

Dead mice from the plague affecting regional Australia.

There are mounting calls for a national plan to combat the devastating mouse plague that has swept across multiple states and is costing farmers millions, ahead of a meeting of agriculture ministers next week.

Labor agriculture spokeswoman Julie Collins has written to Agriculture Minister David Littleproud demanding a commonwealth plan to deal with the waves of mice that have destroyed farmers’ crops and invaded homes in regional Australia. NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall has also written to the Morrison government requesting national assistance for the crisis.

Ms Collins said she was concerned about the “immeasurable impact” the plague would have across Australian farms and regional communities, with the NSW Farmers association estimating the plague had already cost $1bn due to lost winter crops.

“Regional communities faced many challenges including drought, bushfires, the COVID-19 pandemic, workforce shortages and now a mouse plague that is showing no signs of abating any time soon,” Ms Collins wrote.

“We know there is a lot at risk for farmers and regional communities given the many challenges they continue to endure.”

The Morrison government will convene a meeting of state and territory agriculture ministers next week and Ms Collins said the costly mouse plague must be at the top of the agenda. She said an urgent national response plan would complement the work by state governments.

Mr Marshall told the ABC on Wednesday he had requested federal assistance because the plague was a national crisis.

During Senate estimates earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture revealed there was no national plan to deal with the mouse plague. It said the primary responsibility for pests and animals sat with state and territory governments.