COUNCIL URGES RESIDENTS TO CONTROL PRIVET
Glen Innes Severn Council is asking residents to remove Privet or stop it from flowering before spring, as it can cause severe allergic reactions in some people.
Mayor Steve Toms said Council is progressively removing Privet (Ligustrum species) from public areas, to prevent it causing serious reactions in people who are allergic to it. "Council is urging residents who have Privet on their land to either remove it, or prune it to stop it from flowering," he said. "Flowering Privet can cause asthma or other severe allergic reactions in some people. However, Privet Hedges don't cause problems, provided they're properly maintained so they don't flower."
Cr Toms said the Privet flowering season starts in spring. "It begins in September, and can last for many months," he explained. "That's why we are asking residents to take steps to control Privet now."
In a report to Council last year, Noxious Weeds Officer, David Nixon, recommended that steps be taken to have Privet declared as a Class 4 noxious weed. "A declared Class 4 noxious weed means that the plant poses a threat to primary production, the environment or human health, and is widely distributed in an area and is likely to spread in the area or to another area," he explained. "Tenterfield Shire Council and the New England Weeds Authority have already declared Privet as a Class 4 noxious weed."
After considering Mr Nixon's report, Council requested the Director of Development and Environmental Services to apply to the NSW Department of Primary Industries to have Privet declared a Class 4 noxious weed within the Glen Innes Severn Local Government Area (LGA). "With the support of Graham Price, the Director, Mr Nixon prepared the necessary documentation for the application, and submitted it to the Department of Primary Industries Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee," Cr Toms explained. "However, Council is still waiting for final approval from the Minister to declare Privet as a noxious weed in this LGA."
The Mayor said that once the noxious weed declaration is made, there will be a legal onus on land holders to remove Privet, or to prevent it from flowering through pruning or hedging.
Contact details
Catherine McBride
cmcbride@gisc.nsw.gov.au
