The Territory Labor Government has stepped up its fight against Gamba Grass today with the creation of Australia’s first Gamba Army, fulfilling a key election promise.

The Territory's natural environment is one of our greatest assets, and we understand that a strong economy relies on a healthy environment.

Creating up to 45 local jobs, the Gamba Army will provide targeted support in the prioritised areas of Litchfield National Park, Charles Darwin National Park and the Greater Darwin region. 

The NT Weeds Branch and Territory Natural Resource Management will work in partnership to deliver the Gamba Army as part of a $500,000 investment to combat this highly flammable and invasive weed of national significance. Charles Darwin University will be the Gamba Army’s intelligence unit and has already started gathering information about areas that the Gamba Army will attack through a $100,000 Mapping, Planning and Tracing Project.

Key components of the Gamba Army:

• Generating jobs for displaced and underemployed Territorians including through the Australian Government CDP program;
• Facilitating support for associated small businesses involved in weed management;
• Protecting key assets and industries, such as parks and park infrastructure, tourism hotspots, and community amenity areas;
• Reducing the impact of fires on lives, property and the environment and associated costs;
• Minimising spread into areas clear of gamba grass; and
• Contributing to the objectives of the new Weed Management Plan for Gamba Grass 2020-2030.

The Territory Labor Government already invests up to $6 million a year on weeds management, including Gamba grass. We have established a dedicated Crown land Weeds Officer, boosted funding to Bushfires NT to support volunteer brigades, and constructed a new state of the art facility for Bushfires NT to improve our response to fires. 

Quotes from the Minister for Environment, Eva Lawler:

“The Territory Labor Government knows that smart environment policy is smart economic policy.

“We know that more action is needed to mitigate and eradicate Gamba grass, and that is what we are doing through a coordinated and targeted approach.

“Our Gamba Army will provide targeted support in areas of significance and provide up to 45 local jobs for Territorians to assist with stimulating the economy.

“Fires fuelled by Gamba grass threaten lives, property and the environment across the Top End.

“That’s why the Government has invested millions of dollars in directly managing weeds including Gamba grass.”

Quotes from the CEO of Territory Natural Resources Management, Karen May:

“Territory Natural Resource Management is an independent not for profit organisation that partners with landholders, community groups, industry and government on projects that help to protect and improve the Territory’s natural environment.

“The Gamba Army partnership will coordinate and boost efforts to tackle the spread of Gamba grass, it will extend and complement the work undertaken annually by contractors, rangers, community groups, government and private landholders”.

“This provide a transparent multi-pronged approach across a range of sites which will be prioritised for values such as biodiversity, amenity use and asset protection.”

Media Contact: Jasmine Roussos 0439 003 248