Invasive Species Council

New documentary series 'Eat the Invaders' will air tonight on ABC TV at 8.30pm. The series, presented by Tony Armstrong, invites Australians to reimagine invasive species as a 'tasty solution'. But this can be a recipe for disaster. Australia is a world leader in invasion-led extinctions and host to some of the world's largest plagues of feral animals. Eat the Invaders might raise awareness and the featured dishes could be delicious, but we can't cook our way out of a complex ecological crisis. Why? Promoting invasive species as a resource, whether for profit or pleasure, often entrenches problems. Read and share our Policy Analyst Dr Carol Booth's opinion piece on the topic: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gX9pGgUS

We're seeking to appoint a dynamic, innovative and purpose-driven CEO to lead the organisation as it seeks to counter the ecological damage being wrought by invasive species in Australia. The CEO will be responsible for delivering the organisation’s mission and goals. The desired candidate will have a delivery mindset and a proven capacity to engage a diverse set of partners and stakeholders, to grow influence and to lead change. Sound like you? Take a look at the job description below. ⬇️

The average pet cat is estimated to kill 110 native animals a year, roughly 320 million across Australia — and that doesn't even include frogs or insects. On Monday, our Advocacy Director Jack Gough and Science and Conservation Committee member Sarah Legge spoke at the NSW inquiry into the management of cats, calling for enforceable rules to tackle one of the biggest threats to wildlife. 'We don't need state-wide legislation; we want rules that can be owned and implemented by local communities,' Jack Gough said, 'And that needs to start with clear rules about keeping your cat contained and being a responsible pet owner, but it also involves education, enforcement, and working with communities so they understand the impact roaming pet cats have [on our wildlife].' ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ghmZj5w6

Our CEO, Andrew Cox will be departing from his role at the end of February 2025. We would like to share our heartfelt thanks to Andrew for his exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to protecting our wildlife and precious places from invasive species. Andrew leaves behind an incredible legacy after nearly 12 years as CEO and 2 years as President. During this time he guided the Invasive Species Council to become Australia's leading voice in tackling the invasive species mega threat. Andrew’s tenure has seen the Invasive Species Council achieve remarkable success, including the establishment of the federal Environmental Biosecurity Office, securing $1 billion to eradicate red fire ants, and obtaining $40 million to combat yellow crazy ants in Queensland’s tropics. Under his leadership, the Council played a pivotal role in the reintroduction of aerial feral horse control in NSW after a 23-year ban and the adoption of the National Feral Deer Action Plan. He also spearheaded initiatives like the Australian Biosecurity Symposium and the Decade of Biosecurity, ensuring invasive species and environmental biosecurity remain a national priority. 'After almost 12 years as CEO I feel so fortunate that I’ve been able to celebrate so many achievements in my time, from stronger biosecurity measures to real on-ground impacts.' Andrew said. ‘Tackling invasive species will always be close to my heart and I’ll be cheering on and supporting the incredible work of the Invasive Species Council as it enters its next exciting phase.’

'The average roaming and hunting pet cat kills 110 native animals per year, meaning if 70% of pet cat owners in Greater Sydney alone allowed their cats to roam, we are talking about a QUARTER OF A BILLION native animals killed by pet cats in this term of Parliament.' Earlier today, Advocacy Director Jack Gough spoke at the inquiry into the management of cat populations in New South Wales. He was joined by Professor Sarah Legge, a member of the Invasive Species Council Conservation and Science Committee and a Councillor for the Biodiversity Council. They called for clear responsibilities for cat owners in NSW to ensure pets are not roaming around killing native birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs, and amending the law to permit local councils to implement 24/7 cat containment rules. Watch below ⬇️

#BREAKING: We are disappointed that the Queensland Government has rejected an ambitious national plan to reduce the impact of feral and domestic cats on native wildlife. The National Feral Cat Threat Abatement Plan was signed by all other state, territory and Commonwealth governments at a meeting of environment ministers on Tuesday. 'This was an opportunity for national unity on one of the biggest drivers of extinction in Australia – an issue which farmers and rural communities are deeply passionate about,' Advocacy Director Jack Gough said. 'We are disappointed that Queensland has withdrawn their support for this critically important plan to save wildlife. It's a concerning signal and we are urgently seeking further information about why.' 'We know the most effective invasive species control requires national coordination and Queensland's decision not to sign up to this plan undermines this effort.' 'Our wildlife can't afford for governments to fail when it comes to action on feral cats.' ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g-_bYbSr

From January 1, Swan Hill Rural City Council in Victoria will join a fast-growing group of local governments in urban and regional areas that require pet cats to be securely contained 24 hours a day. 👏👏 Roaming pet cats kill 340 million native mammals, birds and reptiles every year. Keeping them safe at home will benefit cat welfare, human health, local wildlife and even the economy. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gfMuVA2m

We can't have a healthy culture without healthy Country and we can't have healthy Country with invasive species. 🐇 Learn more about our Voice of Country campaign which is calling for a Commissioner for Country to be an Indigenous advocate and for caring for Country. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/geezd3XS

On January 7, ABC TV premieres Eat The Invaders, a series based around Kirscha Kaechele's 2019 cookbook and exhibition Eat the Problem. It is not the meat from recreational hunting that is most concerning, but the thought of a culinary industry built around feral animals. 'We need landscape-scale, targeted, coordinated approaches that are specifically focused on removing, eradicating, reducing invasive species populations,' Conservation Officer Tiana Pirtle said, 'We still don't really have a compelling example of a commercial market around eating an invasive species out of the landscape that really works, and sometimes it actually causes more harm than good.' ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gYr2VqHv

Eat the Invaders, a new Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) documentary series presented by Tony Armstrong and set to air in the new year will invite Australians to reimagine invasive species as a 'tasty solution'. Australia is a world leader in invasion-led extinctions and host to some of the world's largest populations of feral animals. They cause immense environmental and economic harm, from devastating native wildlife to ruining crops and spreading disease. Promoting invasive species as a resource, whether for profit or pleasure, often entrenches problems. The creation of a market for feral goats has led to more goats degrading outback Australia, not fewer. For feral camels, years of talk about sending the meat overseas delayed plans to cull them, resulting in larger numbers. An industry could become a source of opposition to future control without doing much to reduce camel numbers. Eat the Invaders might raise awareness and the featured dishes will probably be delicious, but we hope it won’t foster any fantasies that we can cook our way out of a complex ecological crisis. Read the full opinion piece by Policy Analyst Dr Carol Booth: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gX9pGgUS