Threat abatement plans provide for the research, management, and any other actions necessary to reduce the impact of a listed key threatening process on native species and ecological communities. Implementing the plan should assist the long term survival in the wild of affected native species or ecological communities.
The Australian Government Minister the Environment (the Minister), may decide whether to have a threat abatement plan for a threatening process in the list of key threatening processes established under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Making a decision to have a threat abatement plan
Within 90 days of listing a key threatening process the Minister must decide if a threat abatement plan should be made or adopted.
This decision is based on whether having and implementing a plan is the most 'feasible, effective and efficient way to abate the process'. The Minister will consult the Threatened Species Scientific Committee and interested government agencies before making this decision.
Making or adopting a threat abatement plan
If a threat abatement plan is needed one will be developed in accordance with the requirements specified in Section 271 of the EPBC Act and in Regulation 7.12.
Having decided to have a plan, before making or adopting the plan the Minister must consult widely. Consultation includes advertising and inviting comment on the plan during a specified period. In making a threat abatement plan regard must be had to the role and interests of Indigenous people in the conservation of Australia's biodiversity.
- Approved threat abatement plans
- Draft threat abatement plans open for public comment
- Invasive species threat abatement planning - consultation with Indigenous communities (PDF 30 KB) | (RTF - 148.78 KB)
Reviewing the threat abatement plan
Section 279(2) of the EPBC Act requires threat abatement plans to be reviewed at intervals of not longer than five years. The Minister may, at any time, review a recovery plan or threat abatement plan that has been made or adopted under this subdivision and consider whether a variation of it is necessary.
The purpose of a review of a threat abatement plan is to assess the actions that have been undertaken to abate the threat from the disease as identified through the actions, goals and objectives of the threat abatement plan. The review should:
- propose revised objectives and related actions, performance indicators and milestones for the threat abatement plan appropriate to a second five year period for the threat abatement plans, and consistent with the legislative requirements for threat abatement plans;
- identify any significant shortcomings or flaws in the content and coverage of the threat abatement plans, and propose in general terms how these shortcomings could be addressed; and
- provide sound justification for the proposed changes.
More information
For a comprehensive understanding of the provisions relating to threat abatement plans, you should refer directly to the: