Media Release | 3 July 2025
Bevan Eatts MLA
Shadow Minister for Forestry
The Shadow Minister for Forestry and Member for Warren Blackwood, Bevan Eatts MLA, has called on the Cook Labor Government to urgently invest in public awareness and collaborative monitoring efforts to prevent the spread of the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB) beyond the Perth metropolitan area and into the South West.
The call follows the recent decision by the national Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests to cease eradication efforts and instead move to long term management of PSHB.
“It is incredibly disappointing that the Government has decided to step back from eradication,” Mr Eatts said.
“Based on my conversations with industry, growers and researchers, I believe the Government has pulled the pin too early. We are risking long term damage to our native forests, biodiversity and key industries like avocado growing.”
PSHB poses a severe threat to more than 500 plant species and has already caused significant tree decline in urban and orchard settings.
While researchers are making progress on chemical treatment options, containment remains critical in protecting South West native forests and horticultural hubs such as those in Warren Blackwood.
“We need to act now to keep PSHB out of the South West. That means educating people not to bring untreated firewood or mulch from Perth into bushland and farming areas. Something as simple as firewood for a camping trip could introduce a devastating pest to our forests,” Mr Eatts said.
Mr Eatts is urging the Government to:
• Launch a South West public education campaign warning against the movement of mulch, firewood and untreated timber from Perth to regional areas
• Support the deployment of sticky trap monitoring systems in key horticultural and forested zones
• Facilitate collaboration between Government, growers and industry bodies on early detection and biosecurity response planning
• Provide technical and communication support to industry groups to help educate their members about risks and response protocols
Mr Eatts said the risk of inaction is too great to ignore.
“The South West is home to some of the most ecologically and economically significant forest areas in Western Australia. If PSHB takes hold in these areas, it will affect not just trees, but tourism, farming and the environment for generations to come.”
“Government, industry and community all have a role to play. But it starts with awareness. People need to know how their choices, even well-intentioned ones, can unintentionally spread this pest.”
Mr Eatts will continue engaging with stakeholders and raising the issue in Parliament to demand the Cook Labor Government mounts a serious and coordinated response to PSHB in the South West.
ENDS
