Invasive Species Management

Opened the debate

Pocock argued that invasive species were driving native species toward extinction and costing the economy $25 billion per year. Pocock noted that the number of extinct Australian mammals had risen from 21 to 43 since the turn of the century, with cats, foxes, and rats responsible for over 90 per cent of those losses. Pocock highlighted the recent detection of fire ants in Sydney, which could cost an estimated $2 billion annually if they spread. Pocock called for coordinated, long-term planning and sustained funding from all levels of government, rather than short-term programs. Pocock emphasised the opportunity to create safe havens on islands and work with farmers and hunters to restore biodiversity.

Government response

Ananda-Rajah stated that the government had invested more than $800 million since 2022 in threatened species and ecological communities, alongside over $2 billion in biosecurity. Ananda-Rajah highlighted specific contributions, including $270 million for bird flu preparedness and $110 million in the current budget for the Saving Native Species program. Ananda-Rajah pointed to the success of feral cat eradication on Kangaroo Island, where over 1,800 cats had been removed since 2019-20, reducing the population to fewer than 150. Ananda-Rajah argued that sustained effort and commitment were necessary, citing Labor's historical legacy of environmental stewardship and recent landmark environmental laws.

Opposition response

Bragg indicated that the Coalition supported the motion, acknowledging the serious threat invasive species posed to agriculture, native wildlife, and the economy. Bragg cited concerns from the Invasive Species Council regarding a lack of funding certainty for programs targeting yellow crazy ants, gamba grass, and feral deer. Bragg argued that the government had cut funding to these initiatives in the last budget, undermining long-term eradication efforts. Bragg called for a whole-of-government approach with guaranteed program certainty, noting that such campaigns often required up to a decade to succeed.