Invasive species are already costing NSW at least $1.9 billion per year, and without major reform this could balloon to $29.7 billion per year by 2030, a new, scathing report has found.
The Natural Resource Commission today released the highly anticipated draft NSW Invasive Species Management Review, which spotlights the shortfalls in invasive species management in NSW.
Among 71 recommendations, the Commission has called for:
- Significant funding for a new 5 yearly Invasive Species Investment Program
- A new overarching NSW Invasive Species Management Committee with decision-making powers
- Investment in regional pest and weed coordinators
- Powers for local governments to enforce pet cat containment
- The establishment of a First Nations Land and Sea Country Commissioner to represent Aboriginal people working in natural resource management
The review was an election commitment of the Minns Government.
Invasive Species Council Advocacy Director, Jack Gough said: ‘This detailed and scathing review paints an ugly picture of failed invasive species management across the board in NSW. The current system is unstrategic, underfunded, uncoordinated and unenforced.
‘This is despite the fact that NSW’s environment is in the grip of an invasive species crisis, exacerbated by natural disasters, climate change, chronic underfunding, and a lack of political will.
‘The review confirms what we have been saying to successive governments for years – without major changes and increased investment in invasive species management our state’s economy, productivity and native wildlife will suffer.
‘The Natural Resources Commission has given Premier Minns and Treasurer Mookhey a gift with this report and its 71 recommendations. They now have the chance to finally fix this broken system.
‘We hope they take up this challenge because the warning from this report is clear. If we fail to manage new invasive species incursions, it could cost our state $29.7 billion per year by 2030, up from $1.9 billion now. That’s not even including the enormous cost to our wildlife and environment.
‘We welcome the proposal for a new 5-yearly dedicated investment program as a key recommendation of this report. Long-term funding certainty is essential for good weed and pest animal management. This will drive the leadership, coordination and local implementation needed to prevent this crisis from snowballing further.
‘Invasive species are the highest impact driver of extinctions, directly endangering 70 per cent of threatened wildlife and ecosystems in NSW. They degrade and damage waterways and bushland, kill native wildlife and prevent regeneration.
‘Weeds like lantana and madeira vine are smothering our native plants, feral foxes and cats prey upon our birds and small mammals and streams and wetlands are being trampled by hard-hoofed feral deer and horses. New threats on our doorstep like red imported fire ants or tilapia fish could cause new extinctions if they make it into NSW.
‘We simply can’t afford to continue an unenforced, buck-passing approach to the handling of invasive species. This report must be the catalyst for genuine reform.
‘We congratulate the Natural Resources Commission on such a comprehensive report and hope this review will provide the new NSW Government with a platform to drive the reform, funding and focus needed to reduce the damage and prevent the next wave of invasive species-driven extinctions.
‘We were particularly pleased to see the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister for Environment coming together in commissioning this review and look forward to working with them closely on their response.’
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The report makes 71 recommendations, including:
- A new NSW Invasive Species Investment Program to NSW Treasury that includes funding allocated in five-year terms
- Development of a NSW Invasive Species Planning Framework that consistently prioritises and resources risk reduction
- Dedicated funding for statewide leadership, regional coordination, and local implementation
- Redesign of the NSW Invasive Species Plan to be outcomes driven, rather than activity driven, with associated targets
- Development of a plan for resourcing intense reduction of pest animals and weeds from high conservation value regions
- Identification and mapping of regional priority pathways and programs across both pest animals and weeds for surveillance and incursion responses and new and emerging species
- The establishment of a First Nations Land and Sea Country Commissioner to represent Aboriginal people working in natural resource management, including invasive species management, at relevant senior levels of the NSW Government
- An overarching NSW Invasive Species Management Committee with decision making powers
- Resources for regional coordinators to deliver regional planning and collaborative programs
- Strengthen the enforceability of the Biosecurity Act 2015, including but not limited to issues surrounding the enforceability of the general biosecurity duty
- Amend the Companion Animals Act 1998 to enable councils to introduce cat containment policies in their local government area
Key findings from the review include:
- The Commission estimates the financial cost of invasive species in NSW is at least $1.9 billion per year, having increased from $26 million in the 1970s. These are conservative estimates based on limited and inconsistent reported data, particularly for non-monetary social and environmental impacts. Failing to effectively manage new incursions could result in an estimated worst-case annual cost of $29.7 billion by 2030.
- While the foundations of good management exist, the NSW invasive species management system is not yet cohesive.
- State and regional planning does not guide strategic investment of limited funds and gaps in management exist around key risk areas. Siloed governance structures mean key players are not working together to tackle shared challenges. Despite having shared legislation and regulations, there is significant variation in the management of weeds and pest animals. Variable enforcement of regulations undermines the legitimacy of the system. Funding is often instead allocated based on existing program maintenance, public visibility of invasive species or pressure from interest groups.
- Across NSW public land managers, expenditure per hectare on invasive species management ranges from $1.79 per hectare by the Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) up to $8.64 per hectare by LLS on travelling stock reserves.
- NSW investment focusses on the short-term management of species and incidents rather than the development of biosecurity management system capacity as a whole.
- Incursion responses are primarily implemented by Agriculture and Biosecurity, LLS and LCA staff, taking them away from everyday duties. Staff from other agencies (such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Environment Protection Authority and DCCEEW) have assisted in responses but this has not been supported by formal agreements.
- Regional coordinators are a critical component of the system and key to delivering consistent and coordinated risk reduction through partnerships between government, industry and community. However, the pest animal roles are inconsistently defined and have not been filled in all regions, and the weed roles are hindered by limited and short-term funding, lack of consistent institutional support, gaps in local delivery partner responsibilities, and inadequate engagement of key stakeholders.
- Enforcement of compliance is relatively straightforward for species specifically identified under the legislation. However, compliance for species managed under the general biosecurity duty requires supporting detail in regional planning documents, which is currently inadequate.
- Compliance and enforcement provisions in the Biosecurity Act 2015 have not been well-defined or resourced as part of the policy or institutional arrangements of the NSW system and there is a lack of support, resourcing and tools to encourage enforcement cases.
- Despite the risks that cats pose to conservation, production and human health, their status as a companion animal complicates their management and the Companion Animals Act 1998 is ineffective at managing these biosecurity risks.
- A lack of well-resourced public education is holding back public awareness of the risks and importance of biosecurity.
- Both the Agriculture and Environment agencies defer to the other as the lead when it comes to the impacts of invasive species on native species.
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