THE major parties’ biosecurity policies leave a lot of room for improvement as the federal election looms, according to the Invasive Species Council, which says the Coalition has by far the most ground to make up.
Invasive Species Council, a not for profit lobby group funded by donations, released its election scorecard today (see below). It praised the Greens’ policies, applauded Labor’s improvements and pilloried the Coalition.
“In a nutshell we can confidently say that when it comes to protecting the Australian environment from dangerous invasive species the Greens are way out in front, Labor finally gets it. And the Coalition? Well, they’re all at sea,” said Invasive Species Council chief executive Andrew Cox.
The scorecard identified a range of policy gaps in both Labor and the Coalition’s approach to biosecurity. Both parties inaction on weeds management was a major concern.
Since the five-year weeds management strategy expired in 2012 (it was established under Labor in 2007) the states have been left to run programs in isolation.
A previous Weeds Cooperative Research Centre had made gains, until it expired in 2008. Mr Cox said the federal government should push the state’s to cooperate through the Council of Australian Governments – and invoke powers under Commonwealth law if they drag their feet.
Labor was, however, has committed to address two key issues which the Invasive Species Council said were ignored by the Coalition.
Labor would implement the recommendations from last year’s Senate inquiry into biosecurity and said it would fund a national centre for invasive species research, to the tune of $25 million a year.
The Coalition has not outlined a response to the Senate inquiry and has a more modest plan in mind for research. It would fund a $5m research centre for vertebrate pests only.
“Without the full range of research for the full range of invasive species there won’t be the breakthroughs for new biological controls and smart ways of tackling invasive species,” Mr Cox said.
“A national centre is the best way of leveraging the small investments that state governments and industry puts to get maximum bang for your buck.”
Invasive species such as red fire ants and yellow crazy ants are some of Australia’s biggest environmental challenges
“Their impacts are as severe as climate change and habitat loss,” he said.
“How the next Australian government tackles these challenges will have lasting impacts on the health of our outdoor lifestyles, our native plants and animals for generations to come.”
