Queensland Invasive Plants and Animals Strategy 2019-2024

The Queensland Government is reviewing the current strategy and drafting a new strategy for 2025-2030.

This strategy is a state-wide planning framework to:

address the impacts of invasive plants and animals in Queensland
reduce the incidence of new exotic species entering the state.

Shared responsibility is a legal requirement of the general biosecurity obligation under the Biosecurity Act 2014. Land managers, industry, the community and all government levels are responsible for managing invasive plants and animals. The strategy indicates the areas of responsibility for the various stakeholders involved in invasive species management.

Targets

Implementing the Queensland Threatened Species Program
Working alongside stakeholders to implement the Queensland Biosecurity Strategy
Working alongside stakeholders to implement the Queensland Invasive Plants and Animals Strategy
Strategic prioritisation of invasive biosecurity threats.

Outcomes

Since 2019, the Government has invested $3.7 million over five years in the Far Northern Biosecurity Initiative to ensure the Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula are prepared for biosecurity threats.
Since 2015, the Queensland Feral Pest Initiative has allocated $29.2 million to assist regional communities with the construction of cluster fences and other control mechanisms for the management of invasive plants and animals. This investment was complemented by a $14 million investment by the Australian Government for a total of $41.1 million.
Since 2013, $6 million a year has been committed to the Yellow Crazy Ants Eradication Program, jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments, with a further $12 million to support the fight against Yellow Crazy Ants in Townsville.
Since 2006, the Queensland Government has been delivering the National Electric Ant Eradication Program on behalf of the Australian Government and all state and territory governments.
The National Tropical Weeds Eradication Program commenced in 2002 as a national cost-share program with funding from the Australian Government and state jurisdictions, including Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Western Australia. To date, $34.95 million has been spent on the program.
Release of the Queensland Wild Dog Management Strategy 2021-2026 and Queensland Feral Deer Management Strategy 2022-2027.

These activities help safeguard Queensland from numerous biosecurity threats and have limited the spread of many invasive species, plant and animal pests and diseases, reducing impacts on the economy, environment, and our way of life.