13 July
2006 - The volunteer group at the front line of
the fight to stop cane toads crossing into Western
Australia has been given an extra $225,000 by
the Australian Government for more equipment,
training and supplies.
The funding for the Kimberley
Toad Busters was announced today by the Australian
Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator
Ian Campbell, when he handed over a 4WD vehicle
and two quad bikes to the Kununurra-based group.
Senator Campbell said the grant
would ensure the group was equipped to operate
at maximum capacity for at least the next two
years. It received $79,000 federal funding in
February this year to buy outback vehicles and
employ three indigenous experts in cane toad field
work.
"The Toad Busters is a
dedicated, effective organisation that is at the
front line of this battle," Senator Campbell
said.
"This money will get the
group additional all-terrain vehicles, trailers
and other essential equipment and supplies such
as fuel, cookers and camping gear for the army
of volunteers who devote their weekends to helping
stop cane toads crossing into the Kimberley from
the Northern Territory.
"Each weekend it costs
volunteers about $1200 for fuel and food to make
the 300 km return trip from Kununurra across the
border to the front line. This funding ensures
those costs will be met for the next two years
and will support the employment of indigenous
people who are coordinating much of the field
work and mobilising indigenous communities to
join the team."
Senator Campbell said the Kimberley
Toad Busters exemplified the potency of committed
community groups. It had almost 800 members, had
trained 180 as team leaders and captured about
14,000 adult toads and tens of thousands of tadpoles
since last September.
"The work by community
groups to mitigate the spread of cane toads is
an important part of the Australian Government's
overall strategy to wipe out the menace - it engages
communities, stems the toads' spread and cuts
their numbers around key environmental areas,"
he said.
"But only a scientific
response through a biological solution will deliver
the knock-out blow that's needed. This is why
most of the $10 million-plus invested in cane
toad programs by the Howard Government is concentrated
on laboratory work."
Senator Campbell said research
programmes aimed at long-term solutions were being
funded at CSIRO, Sydney University, Townsville's
James Cook University and Darwin's Charles Darwin
University.
Rob Broadfield
