List of Recommendations

Recommendation 1

3.4

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government contribute funding for the modification of artificial water sources to prevent the spread of cane toads along the northern coast of Western Australia between Broome and Port Hedland; in cooperation with the Western Australian Government, land holders, traditional owners and volunteer groups.

Recommendation 2

3.7

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government make funding available to support projects for trapping cane toad tadpoles, including the production of bait, and optimising trap deployment at locations suited to this control method.

Recommendation 3

3.9

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government and the State and Territory governments provide support to Indigenous rangers and volunteer groups involved in measures to control cane toads.

Recommendation 4

3.11

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government provide additional funding to relevant organisations such as the CSIRO, universities and other bodies for research into suppressing cane toad populations using biological and genetic controls.

Recommendation 5

3.14

The Committee recommends that affected State and Territory governments improve internal biosecurity and quarantine measures to protect coastal islands from cane toads.

Recommendation 6

3.17

The Committee recommends that in cooperation with affected State and Territory governments, the Department of the Environment and Energy develop a process to monitor whether overall progress is being made to control cane toads.

Recommendation 7

3.22

The Committee recommends that the Department of the Environment and Energy, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and relevant State and Territory departments ensure that they:

develop and coordinate plans and strategies to control cane toads;

identify priority actions, including:

establishing procedures for responding to potential outbreaks of cane toads on islands or at other isolated locations away from the main population;

preventing cane toads from spreading into unaffected areas;

contribute adequate funding to projects and programs to control cane toads; and

publicly report on the progress achieved against the objectives identified in their plans to control cane toads.

Recommendation 8

3.25

The Committee recommends that the Department of the Environment and Energy expedite its review of the cane toad threat abatement plan and, as part of this process, take into consideration the measures outlined and recommended in this report.

Recommendation 9

3.27

The Committee recommends that prior to the expiry of the next review period of the cane toad threat abatement plan in around 2024, the Australian National Audit Office conduct a performance audit to ascertain whether the Department of the Environment and Energy has fulfilled the plan’s requirements and any related statutory obligations.

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