Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01747:reg:4:p9
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01747
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 4 (pt 9/80)
Character Range: 28200–31126

(2015-2020) Threatened Species Strategy (Department of the Environment 2015b), and for research and management undertaken by the National Environmental Science Program, state and territory governments, researchers, local groups and other stakeholders. However, the review also found that predation by feral cats remained a major threat to Australia's native species, and that a revised plan could build on the progress made so far. The Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats - Review 2021 (DCCEEW 2024c) is available at: DCCEEW Website.

In addition, in 2020 the House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy inquired and reported on the problem of feral and domestic cats in Australia (HoR SCEE 2020), and developed a 'plan to save Australian wildlife', which included a recommendation for a new iteration of the feral cat threat abatement plan:

     'Recommendation 3. The Committee recommends that the Australian Government develop a clear strategy to inform its resourcing of and response to the problem of feral cats, including through a 'reset' of its current policy and planning. This should comprise: a. A new iteration of the Threat Abatement Plan for predation by feral cats ...'

     2.3  This threat abatement plan

This plan updates the previous threat abatement plan published in 2015 (Department of the Environment 2015a). It incorporates the knowledge gained since 2015, and has been modified in light of the recommendations from the review of the 2015 plan and the report from the House of Representatives inquiry into the problem of feral and domestic cats.

This plan builds on the foundations established in the previous plans, and the progress made in their implementation. It consolidates and extends the national framework provided by the previous threat abatement plans to guide and coordinate Australia's response to the impacts of feral cats on biodiversity. It identifies the research, management and other actions needed to ensure the long-term survival of native species and ecological communities affected by feral cats. It also aims to guide the responsible use of public resources and achieve the best conservation outcome for native species threatened by predation by feral cats, given the opportunities and limitations that exist.

Although the main impact of cats on native species is via predation (and the listed key threatening` process is focused on predation by feral cats), cats also compete with some native species for food and are vectors for pathogens that cause disease in native species, livestock and people. The plan also addresses these impacts given these factors are interlinked with, and compound, the predation impacts of cats. Cats also have broader ecological impacts, due to the disruption of ecological services provided by many cat-susceptible species.

In addition, although the plan focuses on feral cats, it includes some