Do you suspect a neighbouring property has a pest problem?

If you are worried about pests on a neighboring property, Pomewest advises you to report it using the MypestGuide app or website. Providing as much information as possible about the suspected problems is crucial to ensure proper prioritisation and investigation. DPIRD now has policies and flow charts to manage these reports effectively.

 The DPIRD Neighbouring Property Plant Biosecurity Complaints policy was approved as Department policy on 12 July 2023.  Provision is now in place for DPIRD to:

• Respond to complaints about plant pest and disease on a neighbouring property.

• Act if a plant pest or disease is present that is a biosecurity risk to plant related commercial agricultural activity.

The Department acknowledges that a number of submitters considered the scope of the policy to be too narrow.  In this regard, the policy does not address:

• Pest and diseases that are not a biosecurity risk to commercial plant growers under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 and also determined to be important by DPIRD.

• Complaints about pests and diseases where the neighbouring property does not affect a commercial plant grower.

• Complaints about vertebrate pests.

However, the policy will be reviewed and may be expanded in the future.  See flow chart of the policy below...