2019
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About the plan
A number of invasive ant species are amongst the most serious global invasive pests. Australia’s environmental, economic, and social wellbeing is threatened by these ants, some of which have already been introduced and have become established in Australia. The environmental impacts of invasive ants can be complex; ranging from predation and competition through to modifying habitat. Economically, invasive ants impact primary production through seed consumption or animal attack, and biting or stinging farm workers; and impact electrical infrastructure in buildings. Communities are also affected by invasive ants by making outdoor areas un-usable and invading houses.
Exotic invasive ants, as a group, have been identified nationally as the seventh most important National Priority Plant Pest. In recognition of this serious threat, the National Biosecurity Committee requested the development of this national plan.
This biosecurity plan provides a nationally agreed approach to enhance Australia’s capacity to manage the ongoing threat of invasive ants establishing in Australia and the impacts caused by those species already established. This plan covers the biosecurity spectrum, specifically broken into the stages of prevention, detection, response, containment and asset-based protection/ongoing management.
This plan describes the actions required to best address the biosecurity threats posed by invasive ants offshore, at the border and onshore. It includes the elements of a national approach to prevent, prepare for and respond to invasive ants, including surveillance, and how this could be achieved.
While this plan is not a statutory threat abatement plan under the Environment Protection and Biodviersity Conservation Act 1999, it fills the requirements of the legislation related to the content of a threat abatement plan. That is, it provides for the research, management and other actions necessary to reduce the key threatening processes to an acceptable level in order to maximise the chances of the long-term survival in nature of native species and ecological communities affected by the process.