SOMETHING ROTTEN AT 195

SOMETHING is rotten at 195 High Street.
In what appears to be the left branch not knowing what the right is doing, the WA department of primary industries and regional development says the 135-year-old Moreton Bay at 195 High Street is not infected with shot-hole borer when its own scientists confirmed today it was infected and would be removed with other infected trees at Queens Square.
In fact, StreetWise confirmed the diagnosis yesterday after the department’s pest and disease information service said via the attached email: “The Moreton Bay fig tree located at 195 High St, Fremantle has been identified as infested with Polyphagous shot hole borer.”
However, the City of Fremantle today posted on Facebook without any attribution that it had a “conversation” with the department which, “confirmed to the City of Fremantle that no signs of a Polyphagous shot-hole borer infestation were found in the Moreton Bay Fig tree at 195 High Street when DPIRD staff inspected it on 7 February 2024”.
East Ward Cr Jenny Archibald posted again shortly after: “I’m not clear on what is really happening with the fig tree – it seems Carmelo Amalfi had confirmation this morning and that the family have been notified but we (i.e. Council) do not have that info as yet – so I think we wait to get formal notification from DPIRD.”
To which StreetWise responded: “Jenny Archibald you didn’t wait. The City has issued a statement claiming it is NOT infected without any attribution, just a ‘conversation’. StreetWise has written confirmation.”
The department’s media office told StreetWise it checked with the case manager today who claimed “DPIRD inspected the tree in February 2024 and found no signs of PSHB infestation.”
StreetWise asked: “Did you inspect in March?”
Media: “I haven’t been advised of that.”
StreetWise: “April?”
Media: “I haven’t been advised. We’ve gone back and checked and confirmed it.”
StreetWise: “So why do your own lab people say otherwise?”
Media: “I don’t know. Do you want us to follow up to say we have provided you with incorrect information or something like that?”
StreetWise: “No, I would like you to go and check with your lab people.”
StreetWise also contacted the pest and disease information service this morning and spoke to the lab technician who sent StreetWise the attached email. She reconfirmed it, the tree is infected.
However, the department said: “The information provided to you from the Pest and Disease Information Service on Monday 29 April regarding the Moreton Bay fig tree located at 195 High St, Fremantle, was incorrect. DPIRD apologises for any confusion.”
If the lab technician is correct then the department is placing other healthy trees in Fremantle at risk of shot-hole borer infection. The department has not said why the technician is incorrect nor produced any evidence the tree is not infected or that it checked it in March or April.
As StreetWise received confirmation yesterday to a query on Saturday, it appears the lab technician’s comments are based on more recent tests for shot-hole borer.