Page Content
Role of the Australian Plague Locust Commission
History of the APLC
APLC Charter
The Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) was established in 1974 as a result of a Federal Cabinet decision and an exchange of letters between the Prime Minister of Australia and the Premiers of the States of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.
The primary purpose of the APLC was to overcome past difficulties in organising the control of an insect which migrates over long distances and poses an interstate threat to agricultural industries. The major infestation of 1973-74 extended into all of the subsequent member states and also involved several locust species, which may have prompted the Australian Agricultural Council to propose the establishment of a dedicated locust control organisation. The APLC commenced operations in 1976 and has undertaken some locust control in the majority of years since that time.
The APLC was initially only responsible for the Australian plague locust but in 1986 the Australian Agricultural Council determined that the commission should also assume responsibility for two other species, the spur-throated locust and the migratory locust, both primarily tropical species in Australia.
The role, responsibilities and accountability of the APLC were formally re-negotiated in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between representatives of the agriculture agencies of the member states and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, signed in November 2002. The commission is jointly funded by the Commonwealth (50%), New South Wales (32.5%), Victorian (10%), South Australian (5%) and Queensland (2.5%) Governments.
The APLC is responsible to the Commonwealth Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and to the state premiers. All APLC operations are overseen by six Commissioners from various state and commonwealth bodies. The areas within which APLC has responsibility for control of each of the three key species covered under its charter were accepted unchanged in the 2002 MoU. (See Area of Operation for details). The specific roles of the APLC are set out under the APLC Charter within the MoU.
APLC CharterPurpose
The purpose of the APLC is to control locust populations in those situations where they have the potential to inflict significant damage to agricultural industries in more than one member state.
Roles
- Implement a preventive control strategy to minimise economic loss to agricultural industries caused by the Australian plague locust, spur-throated locust and migratory locust, with a priority given to the Australian plague locust.
- Minimise risk of locust control to the natural environment, human health and markets for Australian produce.
- Develop improved locust management practices through a targeted research program.
- Provide a monitoring and forecasting system for operations conducted by APLC and member states.
- Promote and facilitate adoption of best practice in locust control by member states.
- Participate in cooperative national and international programs for the development of APLC expertise.
- Continually review APLC operations to ensure they keep pace with the expectations of industry, community and government.