Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2011L01416:body:0:p8
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2011L01416
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 19356–22460

TAP provides a national strategy to guide investment and effort by the Australian Government, jurisdictions, research organisations and non-government organisations in abating the impact of cane toads across their known and anticipated range. This TAP identifies key assets (native species and ecological communities) to be protected, discusses protection methods, and identifies the need to develop humane control methods for cane toads.

 Eradication of cane toads is not currently possible. Neither the technologies nor the resources required to contain and eradicate cane toad numbers on a continental scale are available. The timescales required for the development and application of such technologies would mean that cane toads will have reached the extent of their continental impact regardless of the investment made.

 Recognising the new information now available about cane toads and their impacts, as well as the failure of past attempts at broad-scale control, this TAP takes the approach of identifying and prioritising the native species and ecological communities under threat from cane toads, and targeting action to protect those assets which have been determined to be of the highest priority.

 This approach will focus on achieving positive biodiversity outcomes for species or ecological communities vulnerable to the presence of cane toads. This approach has evolved as the efforts undertaken to date have neither provided a broad-scale control method such as a biological control, nor an effective answer to the expansion of the toads' range through manual removal. Both of these approaches have been proven to be an ineffective use of limited natural resource funds. This new approach will allow for a more effective and efficient use of conservation resources at the national, state, territory and local levels than is occurring under current strategies.

1.2.3 Involvement of stakeholders
The success of this TAP will depend on a high level of cooperation between all key stakeholders, including:
       * the Australian Government and its agencies
       * state and territory conservation and resource management agencies
       * local government
       * natural resource management agencies and private conservation land management bodies
       * research institutes
       * industry and entrepreneurs
       * Indigenous communities
       * other community groups.

The Invasive Animals CRC currently supports a Cane Toad Advisory Group (CTAG). This committee is comprised of Australian Government, state and territory representatives and provides strategic and practical advice on the planning, implementation and delivery of cane toad projects and their outcomes. The CTAG provides a mechanism to focus national and jurisdictional understanding of, and efforts to abate, cane toad impacts and via its links to the Vertebrate Pests Committee will serve as a major coordination point for actions undertaken under this TAP. Major outcomes will be communicated from this group to local government, natural resource management agencies, conservation groups, industry and