The councillors voted, during a meeting on Wednesday night, to submit a motion to the Municipal Association of Victoria’s state council next month. 

The proposed motion – to be lodged to the state council – requested the MAV write to the Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and Roads Minister Luke Donnellan seeking assistance for rural shires in its efforts to control the spread of declared pest plants on high-capacity urban roads. 

The motion requested that assistance come in form of dedicated officers and that consideration be given to officers managing vegetation growth in roadside drains adjacent to the rural arterial roads. 

West Wimmera Shire chief executive David Leahy said, in a report to council, the council could lodge motions of state-wide significance to local government. 

“The management of the spread of declared noxious weeds across high value agricultural land is a problem that requires cross-government cooperation to try and control,” he said. 

“With minimal funding provided for action on the problem, the spread of pest plants continues at an alarming rate.” 

The shire does have a Budget allocation to control pest plant spread across the region. However, Mr Leahy said the financial contribution could shift in the near future. 

“(This) may change in the future due to action required on roadside drains and the uncontrolled spread will eventually have an economic impact,” he said. 

Mr Leahy said a motion regarding the management of roadside pest plants has been a topic of state-wide discussion at the council assembly and a councils advocacy campaign to state parliament. 

“By including the request for assistance with the management of vegetation in roadside drains, it will provide a more uniform approach to the control of roadsides,” he said. ​

“Often the listing of a motion within the agenda of the State Council will promote discussion amongst the effected councils and will lead to a coordinated response to a large problem.

The motion was moved by councillor Bruce Meyer and seconded by Cr Richard Hicks. 

Crs Meyer, Hicks, Jodie Pretlove, Trevor Domaschenz and Tom Houlihan voted to lodged the motion to the state council on October 19.