Draft varied threat abatement plan for competition and land degradation by rabbits

Rabbits are one of the most serious and costly vertebrate pests in Australia. They are recognised as a potential threat over 300 threatened species (15 birds, 20 mammals, 6 reptiles, 1 invertebrate, 1 fish, 1 amphibian and 260 plant species) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. As rabbits are so widely established and abundant in Australia, and given the current resources and techniques available, the focus of management is generally on abating their impacts rather than eradication. However, eradication may be achievable in isolated areas such as small reserves, exclosures, and offshore islands.

The draft varied threat abatement plan provides a national strategy to identify activities to abate the threat and guide investment and effort by the Australian Government, jurisdictions, research organisations and non-government organisations in managing the impacts of rabbits on native species. The goal of this threat abatement plan is to minimise the impact of rabbits on biodiversity in Australia and its territories by:

• Protecting affected threatened species; and
• Preventing further species and ecological communities from becoming threatened.

Public consultation

The Minister for the Environment released the draft varied Threat abatement plan for competition and land degradation by rabbits for public comment. The public comment period closed on 16 March 2016. Also released is an associated background document.

Guidelines for submissions

In providing your submission, please complete a cover sheet. This will allow us to ensure your comments can be accurately taken into account should further information or clarification be required. Please note: a cover sheet must accompany all submissions.

Where possible, we would also appreciate if you could:

• include the objective or action of the threat abatement plan that the comment is in relation to, and
• reference any published data that you refer to.

A template to assist you in providing comments is available for download below.  Please note: the use of this template is optional - we welcome all other forms of submission.

Download

Cover sheet and comments sheet for submissions (PDF - 95.9 KB) | (DOCX - 17.81 KB)

For further information, or to request a hard copy of the document, please email invasivespecies@environment.gov.au or phone 02 6274 2302.

Where to send your submissions

Comments can be sent via email or post to the addresses below.  If you are unable to provide comments in writing please phone 02 6274 2302.

Email:

invasivespecies@environment.gov.au

Post:

Director
Environmental Biosecurity Section
Department of the Environment
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601

Privacy

Your views are being sought by the Department of the Environment for the purpose of informing the Threatened Species Scientific Committee and the Minister for the Environment on the draft varied Threat abatement plan for competition and land degradation by rabbits and associated background document.

Personal information that you provide will only be used for these purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to the members of the committee, or to employees of Australian Government agencies assisting the committee for the purposes outlined above. Contents of your submission may be included in subsequent publications of the threat abatement plan.