The Hon. Kate Worden, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water Security (NT), Media Release, 7 May 2024

The Territory Labor Government is continuing to reduce the impact of invasive grasses by investing $1 million in Budget 2024 to manage buffel and gamba grass.  

Buffel and gamba grass are highly flammable and increase the intensity and frequency of bushfires and impact the biodiversity of the natural environment.

Last year, the Territory Labor Government formed a Technical Working Group (TWG) to address environmental concerns around buffel grass.

The TWG provided its findings, which recommend a Weed Advisory Committee be formed to build on the findings and develop a management plan, with the view of declaring buffel grass a weed.

The funding from Budget 2024 will go towards buffel grass management strategies that will be informed by the Weed Advisory Committee. The Committee is considering priority areas and methods where direct management of buffel grass will be valuable and most effective.

In Budget 2024, $750,000 will be invested into the strategic management of buffel grass. This funding will continue annually and include:

• $575,000 for program management, planning and technical services to implement buffel grass management in Central Australia.
• $50,000 for a Fire Ready (South) Program that adapts the successful northern program to Central Australian conditions to reduce fire risk from buffel
• $75,000 for a herbicide program in Central Australia with a focus on community groups, local councils.
• $50,000 mapping and data analysis

There will also be $250,000 invested annually to continue to manage gamba grass in Litchfield National Park.

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water Security Kate Worden:

“Ensuring our natural environment remains protected from invasive grasses which were introduced to the Territory is a priority.

 “It is critical that we manage the impacts of invasive grasses like buffel and gamba to reduce their impacts on our natural environment and our national parks.

“There is also still a role to play for buffel grass with pastoralists and we understand the importance it plays for cattle feed.”