Delivery of the Australian Weeds Strategy by the national Weeds Working Group (WWG)

Abstract

Federal, state and territory governments and other parties collaborate to deliver the goals and priorities of the Australian Weeds Strategy (AWS). The national Weeds Working Group (WWG) is the mechanism through which this collaboration occurs.
The WWG has 19 members representing every State and Territory of Australia, the Commonwealth government, research bodies, CSIRO and the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions (CISS).
WWG sits within a framework of higher level national committees including the Environment and Invasives Committee (EIC), and above them, the National Biosecurity Committee. WWG is a subgroup of the EIC and is charged with the responsibility to inform national policy leadership to the EIC in the priority areas of the AWS. WWG provides the EIC with technical and policy advice on the prevention, incursion response and management of invasive plants, under the framework of the AWS.
WWG members form task groups to work together on particular priorities of the AWS. Current tasks in the WWG workplan include: Australian Weeds Strategy implementation, National Established Weed Priorities (NEWP), collaboration with the ornamental plant industry on invasive garden plant prevention, improved availability of weed specimens in herbaria for identification and research purposes, prioritisation of biocontrol agents, oversight of relevant information on weeds.org.au, input to WeedScan, reporting process for new plant naturalisations, input to a national weed risk assessment portal, and input to the National Priority List of Exotic Environmental Pests, Weeds and Diseases (abbreviated to the Exotic Environmental Pest List (EEPL)).
The WWG usually meets twice a year and out-of-session as needed. Contributing at this national level is a great way to share and develop ideas and collectively progress weed issues nationally.