CSIRO researcher Dr John Scott said, "Out there, throughout the nation, are many weed species lying low, but with the potential to take off and add to the economic and social burden of weed control."
He was addressing the GREENHOUSE 2009 conference on climate change in Perth.
Weeds cost Australia more than $4 billion a year, either in control or lost production. They cause serious damage to the environment.
Karoo Thorn has the potential to be a serious woody weed, which could affect Australian ecosystems. Image credit: Colin Wilson
Dr Scott said these cost estimates were only based on the damage cause by weeds known to be active in Australia, so the damage could be far worse.
Cane toads will be used as compost to feed sugar cane by a waste management company in Cairns this weekend.
The company is asking residents to bring in their captured cane toads, which will be used as raw material for compost.
Plant manager Hayden Slattery says the company hopes to get around 100kg of toads, which will be humanely killed then put through a special breakdown period before being used on sugar cane farms.
The project is part of Townsville's Toad Day Out.
A Tibetan photo exhibition titled "Never Give Up" opened in Paddington's Percolatar Gallery yesterday.
The exhibition brings together a collection of 50 colour and black and white images by Australian and Tibeten-Australian photographers. The images are said to capture the dignity, courage and vibrancy of Tibetan life that continues to develop, despite 50 years of oppression and exile.
Image: Natalie Grono
Click here for more info on the exhibition
Negotiations between the two countries continue to be at a standstill. Earlier this month, the Chinese Premier stated that future dialogue was up to the Tibetans. "The doors for negotiation are always open, as long as the Dalai Lama denounces separatism."
However, the Kashag (Tibetan Cabinet) has refuted the allegation of "separatism" and held firm to its "Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy" as a fair basis for future negotiations.
95 monks were arrested for taking down a Chinese flag and raising a Tibetan flag during a peaceful demonstration.
These demonstrations come in a politically sensitive month which marks the anniversaries of 50 years since the failed uprising against Chinese rule, and one year since the violent riots between protesters and Chinese authorities that killed hundreds of Tibetans.
Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate that Australians are using almost 50 per cent more energy than 0 years ago, despite widespread awareness and greener technology.
Larger houses are consuming more energy because of peoples' dependence on air conditioning, heating and modern appliances, which has caused a spike in power use.
Although there has been a 49 per cent increase in renewable energy production, the report suggests there is a discrepancy between households concerned with the environment, and those actually taking up energy reducing practices and renewable sources.
In Brazil, at least 50,000 oil production workers began a five-day strike yesterday.
The workers from the state-run oil firm, Petrobras, stoped work at refineries, oil wells and platforms to protest against pay cuts and working conditions.
Officials from the National Oil Workers Federation said 165 employees have been killed in accidents in the last seven years.
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