2025 – 26 Tasmanian State Budget Submission
18 February, 2025
Tasmania’s unique environment, economy, and communities are under threat frominvasive species. Invasive species, including feral deer, cats, pigs, goats, and
The Invasive Species Council publishes submissions to a wide range of government inquiries into weeds, pest animals and environmental diseases in Australia.
Tasmania’s unique environment, economy, and communities are under threat frominvasive species. Invasive species, including feral deer, cats, pigs, goats, and
A few deer were released in Victoria 150 years ago for game hunting and over timelegislation was developed to support
While many positive elements of the former strategy are worth retaining, developing this new strategy provides an opportunity for new ideas and improvements – as suggested in this submission.
While many positive elements of the former strategy are worth retaining, developing this new strategy provides an opportunity for new ideas and improvements – as suggested in this submission.
Investing in prevention and early action are always the most cost-effective and damage mitigating approach to invasive species and our national biosecurity system is fundamental to this.
In this submission we discuss the work of community action groups that are willing to perform biosecurity services, supporting the ACT government to achieve meaningful progress towards the goals articulated in strategies, and how to collaborate effectively to protect our biodiversity and enhance ecosystem resilience.
The Invasive Species Council welcomes action to ensure that targets from the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) are incorporated into Australia’s national conservation agenda. However, we are deeply concerned about the draft Nature Strategy targets, as proposed in the discussion paper Updating Australia’s Strategy for Nature (February 2024).
In this submission, we outline the additional funding required for initiatives and policies over the next four years which would improve Australia’s capacity to keep nature safe from new and established invasive species.
The Invasive Species Council has 8 recommendations to be implemented in 2024 to mitigate the negative impacts of feral deer on the environment, economy, and public safety.
8 recommendations for the Plan to be successful in mitigating the negative impacts of feral deer on the environment, economy, and public safety,
15 urgent recommendations to improve fire ant eradication.
The updated Threat Abatement Plan for predation by feral cats presents a significant opportunity to curb the impacts of feral and roaming pet cats on wildlife, but only if it is adequately funded and fully implemented.
The Invasive Species Council estimates that at least $2.19 million per annum is needed for the next four years to effectively manage deer populations, a cost that represents only 2% of the annual economic impact of feral deer.
This submission presents 101 recommendations to improve invasive species management in the state.
In this submission, we call on the Hon Kate Worden MLA, Minister for Environment Climate Change and Water Security to declare buffel grass a weed under the NT Weeds Management Act for all land tenure in the Northern Territory.
Tasmania’s unique environment, economy, and communities are under threat frominvasive species. Invasive species, including feral deer, cats, pigs, goats, and
A few deer were released in Victoria 150 years ago for game hunting and over timelegislation was developed to support
While many positive elements of the former strategy are worth retaining, developing this new strategy provides an opportunity for new ideas and improvements – as suggested in this submission.
While many positive elements of the former strategy are worth retaining, developing this new strategy provides an opportunity for new ideas and improvements – as suggested in this submission.
Investing in prevention and early action are always the most cost-effective and damage mitigating approach to invasive species and our national biosecurity system is fundamental to this.
In this submission we discuss the work of community action groups that are willing to perform biosecurity services, supporting the ACT government to achieve meaningful progress towards the goals articulated in strategies, and how to collaborate effectively to protect our biodiversity and enhance ecosystem resilience.
The Invasive Species Council welcomes action to ensure that targets from the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) are incorporated into Australia’s national conservation agenda. However, we are deeply concerned about the draft Nature Strategy targets, as proposed in the discussion paper Updating Australia’s Strategy for Nature (February 2024).
In this submission, we outline the additional funding required for initiatives and policies over the next four years which would improve Australia’s capacity to keep nature safe from new and established invasive species.
The Invasive Species Council has 8 recommendations to be implemented in 2024 to mitigate the negative impacts of feral deer on the environment, economy, and public safety.
8 recommendations for the Plan to be successful in mitigating the negative impacts of feral deer on the environment, economy, and public safety,
15 urgent recommendations to improve fire ant eradication.
The updated Threat Abatement Plan for predation by feral cats presents a significant opportunity to curb the impacts of feral and roaming pet cats on wildlife, but only if it is adequately funded and fully implemented.
The Invasive Species Council estimates that at least $2.19 million per annum is needed for the next four years to effectively manage deer populations, a cost that represents only 2% of the annual economic impact of feral deer.
This submission presents 101 recommendations to improve invasive species management in the state.
In this submission, we call on the Hon Kate Worden MLA, Minister for Environment Climate Change and Water Security to declare buffel grass a weed under the NT Weeds Management Act for all land tenure in the Northern Territory.
Tasmania’s unique environment, economy, and communities are under threat frominvasive species. Invasive species, including feral deer, cats, pigs, goats, and
A few deer were released in Victoria 150 years ago for game hunting and over timelegislation was developed to support
While many positive elements of the former strategy are worth retaining, developing this new strategy provides an opportunity for new ideas and improvements – as suggested in this submission.
While many positive elements of the former strategy are worth retaining, developing this new strategy provides an opportunity for new ideas and improvements – as suggested in this submission.
Investing in prevention and early action are always the most cost-effective and damage mitigating approach to invasive species and our national biosecurity system is fundamental to this.
In this submission we discuss the work of community action groups that are willing to perform biosecurity services, supporting the ACT government to achieve meaningful progress towards the goals articulated in strategies, and how to collaborate effectively to protect our biodiversity and enhance ecosystem resilience.
The Invasive Species Council welcomes action to ensure that targets from the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) are incorporated into Australia’s national conservation agenda. However, we are deeply concerned about the draft Nature Strategy targets, as proposed in the discussion paper Updating Australia’s Strategy for Nature (February 2024).
In this submission, we outline the additional funding required for initiatives and policies over the next four years which would improve Australia’s capacity to keep nature safe from new and established invasive species.
The Invasive Species Council has 8 recommendations to be implemented in 2024 to mitigate the negative impacts of feral deer on the environment, economy, and public safety.
8 recommendations for the Plan to be successful in mitigating the negative impacts of feral deer on the environment, economy, and public safety,
15 urgent recommendations to improve fire ant eradication.
The updated Threat Abatement Plan for predation by feral cats presents a significant opportunity to curb the impacts of feral and roaming pet cats on wildlife, but only if it is adequately funded and fully implemented.
The Invasive Species Council estimates that at least $2.19 million per annum is needed for the next four years to effectively manage deer populations, a cost that represents only 2% of the annual economic impact of feral deer.
This submission presents 101 recommendations to improve invasive species management in the state.
In this submission, we call on the Hon Kate Worden MLA, Minister for Environment Climate Change and Water Security to declare buffel grass a weed under the NT Weeds Management Act for all land tenure in the Northern Territory.
The Invasive Species Council was formed in 2002 to seek stronger laws, policies and programs to protect nature from harmful pests, weeds and diseases.
The Invasive Species Council acknowledges the Traditional Custodians throughout Australia and their connections to land and sea. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Dear Project Team,
[YOUR PERSONALISED MESSAGE WILL APPEAR HERE.]
I support the amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan to allow our incredible National Parks staff to use aerial shooting as one method to rapidly reduce feral horse numbers. I want to see feral horse numbers urgently reduced in order to save the national park and our native wildlife that live there.
The current approach is not solving the problem. Feral horse numbers have rapidly increased in Kosciuszko National Park to around 18,000, a 30% jump in just the past 2 years. With the population so high, thousands of feral horses need to be removed annually to reduce numbers and stop our National Park becoming a horse paddock. Aerial shooting, undertaken humanely and safely by professionals using standard protocols, is the only way this can happen.
The government’s own management plan for feral horses states that ‘if undertaken in accordance with best practice, aerial shooting can have the lowest negative animal welfare impacts of all lethal control methods’.
This humane and effective practice is already used across Australia to manage hundreds of thousands of feral animals like horses, deer, pigs, and goats.
Trapping and rehoming of feral horses has been used in Kosciuszko National Park for well over a decade but has consistently failed to reduce the population, has delayed meaningful action and is expensive. There are too many feral horses in the Alps and not enough demand for rehoming for it to be relied upon for the reduction of the population.
Fertility control as a management tool is only effective for a small, geographically isolated, and accessible population of feral horses where the management outcome sought is to maintain the population at its current size. It is not a viable option to reduce the large and growing feral horse population in the vast and rugged terrain of Kosciuszko National Park.
Feral horses are trashing and trampling our sensitive alpine ecosystems and streams, causing the decline and extinction of native animals. The federal government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee has stated that feral horses ‘may be the crucial factor that causes final extinction’ for 12 alpine species.
I recognise the sad reality that urgent and humane measures are necessary to urgently remove the horses or they will destroy the Snowies and the native wildlife that call the mountains home. I support a healthy national park where native species like the Corroboree Frog and Mountain Pygmy Possum can thrive.
Dear Project Team,
[YOUR PERSONALISED MESSAGE WILL APPEAR HERE.]
I support the amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan to allow our incredible National Parks staff to use aerial shooting as one method to rapidly reduce feral horse numbers. I want to see feral horse numbers urgently reduced in order to save the national park and our native wildlife that live there.
The current approach is not solving the problem. Feral horse numbers have rapidly increased in Kosciuszko National Park to around 18,000, a 30% jump in just the past 2 years. With the population so high, thousands of feral horses need to be removed annually to reduce numbers and stop our National Park becoming a horse paddock. Aerial shooting, undertaken humanely and safely by professionals using standard protocols, is the only way this can happen.
The government’s own management plan for feral horses states that ‘if undertaken in accordance with best practice, aerial shooting can have the lowest negative animal welfare impacts of all lethal control methods’.
This humane and effective practice is already used across Australia to manage hundreds of thousands of feral animals like horses, deer, pigs, and goats.
Trapping and rehoming of feral horses has been used in Kosciuszko National Park for well over a decade but has consistently failed to reduce the population, has delayed meaningful action and is expensive. There are too many feral horses in the Alps and not enough demand for rehoming for it to be relied upon for the reduction of the population.
Fertility control as a management tool is only effective for a small, geographically isolated, and accessible population of feral horses where the management outcome sought is to maintain the population at its current size. It is not a viable option to reduce the large and growing feral horse population in the vast and rugged terrain of Kosciuszko National Park.
Feral horses are trashing and trampling our sensitive alpine ecosystems and streams, causing the decline and extinction of native animals. The federal government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee has stated that feral horses ‘may be the crucial factor that causes final extinction’ for 12 alpine species.
I recognise the sad reality that urgent and humane measures are necessary to urgently remove the horses or they will destroy the Snowies and the native wildlife that call the mountains home. I support a healthy national park where native species like the Corroboree Frog and Mountain Pygmy Possum can thrive.