By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
LA TROBE MP Jason Wood is waging a war against wasps in south-east Victoria, having sought more than $1 million in federal funding towards a biological solution to limit the pests.
Mr Wood used Tuesday’s joint Coalition meeting in Canberra involving Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce to seek up to $1.5 million over three years for research into how to effectively exterminate European wasp nests.
He has received overwhelming community feedback about the prevalence of wasp nests in his local area.
The push comes after the ABC earlier this month reported Victoria was experiencing its highest rate of wasp activity in 15 to 20 years.
It’s understood Casey Council last year received more than 100 complaints about wasp nests in the municipality.
“Like everyone you accept that wasps are around, but I noticed them more this year. They’re absolutely everywhere,” Mr Wood said.
“That was my first-hand observation, then I put something on my Facebook page and we had over 100 comments on it.
“And then you read about parents being stung and kids being stung.
“It all happened rather quickly. We found it was getting a big response, even in areas down the south of the electorate, suburbs like Narre Warren, even though they’re more residential.”
Mr Wood sought the help of staff from the Parliamentary library who have since been researching the seeming increase of European wasps not only in Eastern and South-Eastern Victoria, but also parts of Tasmania, New South Wales and Western Australia.
Research indicates a single nest can harbour up to 100,000 wasps.
Mr Wood said he expected to have a clearer idea in the next two to three months whether the funding would be provided, with the new Federal Budget due in May.
“The game plan is 1.5 million over three years. Mr Joyce has an agriculture white paper which looks at bio security,” he said.
“It’s on his wish list – if we get this through the European wasps will fall under that.”
City of Casey manager Community Safety Caroline Bell said property owners were responsible for managing European wasps on their land.
Where the nest is located on council property, she said council would engage a contractor to remove the wasps.
