Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island (2016-2021)

About

This engagement has closed for comment. Thanks for your interest and stay tuned for updates.

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We need to ensure that local thinking and knowledge is captured in the new Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island (2016-2021). Protecting Kangaroo Island’s pristine environment, agricultural production and our way of life is really important and we need your input into how we design and implement a biosecurity system that will help us to achieve that protection.

What is being decided?

Australia is protected by one of the best biosecurity systems in the world, one which other countries try to emulate. Similarly, South Australia has a biosecurity policy that further strengthens that protection for agricultural industries, the environment and the SA community. Further to this, Kangaroo Island Natural Resources Management Board is developing its own local strategy, which also recognises the importance of managing feral species, weeds and other threats to environment, agricultural production and social amenity.

Kangaroo Island is fortunate to be free of many of the pests and diseases found on the mainland. Our geographical isolation helps us in many ways but the increase in tourism, movement of people onto the island, new agricultural industries, changes in the environment and better understanding of the impacts of feral species all pose threats to Kangaroo Island’s biosecurity status. It is important that we all to work together to protect Kangaroo Island from new pests that could impact on our environment and biodiversity, agricultural production and our way of life.

It is necessary for Kangaroo Island to have a Biosecurity Strategy that is contemporary and clearly outlines what we are trying to achieve and how we intend to go about it. The draft Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island summary document contains important information about the context and intentions of the strategy as well as providing the framework that supports the biosecurity protection for Kangaroo Island.

How can your input influence the decision?

We need your input into making sure we have a Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island that addresses the risks that the public are concerned about and develop actions that can be implemented. We wish to ensure the whole community understands how they can contribute to securing the island against unwanted pest and disease incursions. In many instances biosecurity actions are already being taken by the community and we wish to recognise and build on these efforts, ensuring they are included in the strategy.

We want your feedback on the draft strategy summary document. To have your say:

1. Download the draft strategy summary document (PDF, 122KB).
2. Download the Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 153KB).
3. Join the online discussion.
4. Comment in the survey.

By commenting you'll be helping to inform the final Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island.

Public forums

You can also be involved by coming along to one of the upcoming public forums:

Monday 15 August: 5.30pm - 7.00pm
Parndana Sports Club

Tuesday 16 August: 5.30pm - 7.00pm
Penneshaw CWA Hall

Wednesday 17 August: 5.30pm - 7.00pm
Kingscote NRM Board Room

How will your input be used?

The final version of the Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island will be made available later in 2016 and promoted widely. A copy will be published on the Natural Resources Kangaroo Island website: http://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/kangarooisland/home.

This project is supported by Natural Resources Kangaroo Island, through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Programme.

Want to know more?

Contact us via:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naturalresourceskangarooisland/

• Email: andrew.triggs@sa.gov.au

• Phone: (08) 8553 4484

Background

In 2007, the Kangaroo Island Quarantine Policy was released by the South Australian Government, Department for Environment and Heritage as its policy framework for reducing the risk of introduction and increased distribution of new pest species with invasive potential. The benefit of Kangaroo Island’s relative pest and disease free status is relevant to the environment, agricultural industries and social amenity. Having such a policy assisted in identifying strategies and long-term plans to guide decision making, focus resourcing and support engagement activities. The policy has assisted in guiding the relevant agencies, industries and community in the importance of the geographical advantage that Kangaroo Island has and how we all can contribute to maximising this with a system that identifies the biosecurity risks and processes to protect Kangaroo Island.

The enhancement of this policy into the Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island is important in terms of identifying higher level strategies that can be used for the development and implementation of transparent decision-making and risk assessment, identifying awareness strategies to engage with the whole community, operational activities and governance arrangements. The new strategy will rely on the development and maintenance of constructive working partnerships with the community to support the biosecurity stem for Kangaroo Island.

The development of the Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island has been identified as part of the federally funded project ‘Too Good to Spoil, Too Precious to Lose: A better Biosecurity Future for Kangaroo Island'. The contemporary look at the biosecurity protection for Kangaroo Island is appropriate as there are increasing pressures on the pest and disease status from emerging issues such as climate change, increase in movements onto the island, new and different biosecurity threats and the expectations of the community.

The next 5 years will be challenging as funding for traditional border protection activities will need to be used as efficiently and effectively as possible. The Biosecurity Strategy for Kangaroo Island strives to ensure biosecurity risks specific to this region are managed, that appropriate resources and arrangements are in place to respond to issues and how the whole community can support the biosecurity effort. This is why it is important that the whole community has the opportunity to have input into the final document and understand how they contribute to protecting Kangaroo Island.