Modernisation of the successful NSW Government Weeds Action Program moves the program from an annual to a four-year grant model, with a total of $40.726 million available to local councils and other eligible Local Control Authorities (LCA) to boost weed management across the state.
Applications are open for eligible LCAs from 21 October until 4:00 pm on Monday 17 November 2025, to strengthen and streamline NSW's response to new and emerging weeds.
The move from an annual grant is the biggest reform the program has seen and is an important part of the NSW Government's biosecurity plans, designed to ensure the state's $20 billion-a-year primary industries continue to thrive.
The modernisation of the Weeds Action Program, which has led statewide weed management for more than 60 years, supports long-term weed management planning and cuts red tape for LCAs.
It continues to play a key role in improving stability, strategic delivery and measurable outcomes which inform the program's effectiveness and demonstrate the value of this important investment of taxpayers' dollars.
Led by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the new four-year program, to start in the 2025-26 financial year and will be delivered in partnership with Local Land Services.
On a dollar-for-dollar basis the program delivers an extraordinary return to the state.
According to the NSW Chief Invasive Species Officer, Scott Charlton, every dollar the program spends keeping NSW free of Parthenium benefits the state with a $777 increase in agricultural productivity, reduced health impacts and environmental protection.
"For every dollar spent eradicating tropical soda apple there is a productivity return of $410 and every dollar spent eradicating Hudson pear returns $59 to the community," Mr Charlton said.
"In addition, across the state LCAs invest an extra $2.00 for every dollar invested by the program."
General Manager Upper Hunter Weeds Authority, Doug Campbell said moving to a four-year Weeds Action Program grant is welcomed.
"It provides certainty in our budgeting and boots our ability to retain and train weed biosecurity officers across NSW," Mr Campbell said.
"The removal of the time-consuming and uncertainty of the annual grant application process will enable better use of available resources, resulting in more efficient and effective weed management programs.
"In our area, it will allow us to maintain our surveillance and eradication efforts on key high-risk weeds, such as parthenium weed, alligator weed and frogbit."
General weed management, including priority weeds, remains the responsibility of land managers and the NSW community as part of our biosecurity duty under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 to prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk of weeds.
