31 July 2019
The Environment and Invasives Committee held its fourth face-to-face meeting on 31 July 2019 in Alice Springs, Northern Territory.
The Committee agreed to work with the Department of the Environment and Energy to provide advice and technical guidance on management measures for invasive species, to help inform Australia’s position in the development of the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
The Committee agreed, in-principle, to the revised scope and development of the draft InvasivesPlan, and to seek advice and agreement from the National Biosecurity Committee on the plan.
A Procedure for Endorsing Candidate Weeds for Biological Control was approved by the Committee. This procedure clarifies the Committee’s advisory role, which assists in considering biological control nominations for candidate weeds.
A Weeds Working Group proposal to develop a framework outlining a process for aligning the Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) with the Established Pests and Diseases of National Significance framework was endorsed.
The Committee noted a scoping study on e-commerce in invasive species and discussed options for implementing the study’s recommendations.
In light of the Committee’s environmental biosecurity focus members agreed to seek approval for Ian Thompson, Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer (CEBO), to serve as a committee member, rather than observer.
It was agreed the CEBO will lead a small working group, to develop a draft national environmental biosecurity framework outlining priority actions and structures for environmental biosecurity.
The Committee also received updates on:
- public consultation and next steps for the National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement
- the Exotic Production Weed Deed development
- National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program in South East Queensland, and
- new national biosecurity website.
At its strategic workshop on 1 August 2019, the Committee discussed a review of preparedness and response capability for environmental biosecurity incidents and next steps for the National Carp Control Plan.
The next Committee meeting will be held in Adelaide, South Australia, in February 2020.
For any questions or suggestions regarding this communique, please email the EIC Secretariat at eic@aff.gov.au.
The Environment and Invasives Committee is responsible for providing national policy leadership on the identification, prevention and management of invasive plant, vertebrate and invertebrate species that adversely impact the environment, economy and community.
The Committee provides a national mechanism for identification and resolution of national priorities on freshwater aquatic and terrestrial invasive species and any other species where there is an environmental or community biosecurity impact where it is found not to be the responsibility of any other sectoral committee.
For further information on the Environment and Invasives Committee, you can visit the Committee’s website, hosted by the Department of Agriculture.