Download Queensland Darling Downs GMI ... - Grow Me Instead

The nursery and gardening industry has joined with the Australian
Government in the fight against invasive garden plants. In
championing this initiative, Nursery and Gardening Industry
Australia (NGIA) is taking a significant step forward in tackling one
of the nation’s most serious environmental problems – the spread
of weeds.
The Grow Me Instead campaign is a great industry-driven initiative
providing relevant local information to nursery operators and
gardeners about plants which are potential weeds in their area and
less invasive plants for gardeners to use.
This cooperation between the horticulture and nursery industries,
the Australian Government and weed management bodies will help
ensure horticulturists and gardeners receive the information they
need to combat the spread of weeds.
It is estimated that weeds cost the Australian agricultural industry
around $4 billion a year. The real cost of weeds to the environment
is difficult to calculate, however it is likely to be at least equal to the
cost to agriculture.
Of the almost 3000 introduced plant species now known to be
established in the Australian environment, 65% are ‘escaped’
garden plants. An important step in preventing the spread of weeds
is public education to help change attitudes and behaviours that
contribute to the weed problem.
The Government is committed to investing in initiatives that have
real on-ground benefits for the environment and for industry. We
commend this initiative to you.
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3) Introduction from
the Ministers
The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP
Minister for the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
The Hon Tony Burke MP
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry