CLEARING and cropping roadside verges is “brazen land grabbing of public land,” local botanist Katie White said.
She was speaking at Public Question time, before Council was to vote on a motion to impose a fine of $2 per linear metre of road for illegally growing crops on verges.
Ms White was one of three speakers who said the penalty would not act as a sufficient deterrent to “widespread illegal clearing”.
“This current proposal is not good enough,” she said.
“It would imply the Shire is knowingly supporting these activities.”
Ms White proposed an alternative penalty based on the actual area of illegally cropped land.
Shire president Ron Chambers said the Shire had very limited jurisdiction over the matter.
“The $2 per linear metre is not designed to stop people clearing native vegetation, that is a matter for DEWR (the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation), he said.
“We have the ability to infringe them for using the land that has been cleared.
“We have put forward to DEWR to infringe them.” Retired public servant Colin Ingram, who also spoke from the public gallery, said the proposed penalty was a “poor attempt to address the matter of roadside clearing”.
“This approach will do little to address the errant behaviour of a small number of delinquent land owners,” he said.
“Roadside vegetation is a critical asset in preserving bio diversity.
“Landowners should be instructed to re-fence and revegetate.”
Shire CEO Shane Burge said the local government’s ability to prosecute was “extremely limited”.
“This is just a first step in the making of the local law,” he said.
“We still have the opportunity to do some work with DEWR to make sure the final local law is acceptable”.
However Cr Connor Davies moved an alternate motion to lay the matter on the table to allow report or a briefing to be prepared, and time for officers to answer questions by members of the public.
Cr Steve McMullen amended this so the report would be presented to Council or briefing made by March, and the motion passed.
