Thursday the 17th of October, 2024
Victorian Legislative Council
On the 17th of October, Rachel Payne MP presented a constituency question to the Victorian Legislative Council.
On behalf of her constituent, Rachel called for increased government funding to eradicate invasive boneseed in Lysterfield Park.
Boneseed is a non-native, rapidly spreading plant that outcompetes native species, reducing the natural biodiversity of bushland.
RACHEL PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan): My constituency question is for the Minister for Environment and Minister for Outdoor Recreation. My constituent is a resident of Rowville and a member of Friends of Lysterfield Park.
Friends of Lysterfield Park is a local volunteer group who work to preserve this prime parkland for the whole community to enjoy, but Lysterfield Park has a boneseed problem. This small evergreen shrub produces up to 50,000 seeds per plant.
Spread by seed, boneseed impacts native vegetation and reduces the biodiversity value of bushland. There are already 1 million boneseed weed trees in Lysterfield Park, and without effective control they are doubling every three years, as is the cost of removal. Any efforts to remove this invasive species must be long term to prevent re-establishment.
So my constituent asks: will the minister fund the eradication of boneseed in Lysterfield Park?
[Answer Pending]
