Along with land clearing, invasive species are the major threat to wildlife in Queensland. Yet biosecurity has been missing from Queensland election headlines.
Australia should seize the opportunity to better protect itself from dangerous new invasive species by adopting the recommendations of an independent review of the biosecurity system.
A campaign to fix the country’s leaky environmental borders and keep dangerous new environmental pests and diseases out. Send your message to the Deputy Prime Minister today.
The release of our report Norfolk Island: Protecting an Ocean Jewel, sets a path for reversing the decline of many threatened species on the island and eradicating harmful invaders.
After exhaustive research, one of Australia’s most cherished island sanctuaries Lord Howe Island is about to hit go on its rat eradication project.
The terrible destructive force of Hurricane Harvey made headlines not just for its human toll, but also for forcing fire ants out of their nests. Brisbane expat Jennifer Singfield tells us what it’s like living with fire ants.
The introduction of new crops or livestock can go spectacularly wrong. Question is, are those responsible for promoting new crops and livestock in Australia showing enough caution?
A review of Australia’s biosecurity arrangements has highlighted the need for much greater focus on protecting the natural environment from invasive species.
New research has found that almost nowhere in Australia is safe from growing feral deer numbers, with future mapping showing the animals could occupy most of the continent, including the interior.
A Senate environment committee that endorsed the commercial use of Tasmanian feral bumblebees seemed oblivious to the serious impacts this invasive species can cause.
A spate of fire ant discoveries in Queensland has set alarm bells ringing, but instead we should treat them as a sign the new eradication program is beginning to hit its straps.
Environmental biosecurity might still be a mouthful for most Australians, but it is gaining traction within government circles, and needs to become a much greater focus when we talk about protecting the nation from future environmental threats.
On Wednesday, 26 July, Australia’s agriculture ministers signed off on a new, $411 million eradication program. Fire ant fight 2.0 is a fight we must win.
A five-year review could shake-up Australia’s biosecurity arrangements, finally putting environmental pests and diseases on a par with agricultural and human health threats.
Tick, tick, tick. That’s the sound of invasive browsing ants, an environmental time bomb if they have escaped eradication efforts in Darwin.
