Listing assessments under the EPBC Act
About listing assessments
In order to determine if a species or ecological community is eligible for listing as threatened in one of the categories under the EPBC Act, a rigorous scientific assessment of the species or ecological community's threat status is undertaken. These assessments are undertaken by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) to determine if the item is eligible for listing against a set of criteria as set out in the guidelines for nominating and assessing threatened species and ecological communities.
At the completion of the assessment the TSSC provides a 'listing advice' to the Minister for decision and, if relevant, a 'conservation advice' that outlines immediate conservation priorities.
There are two types of assessments:
- Nominated species and ecological communities on the Finalised Priority Assessment List (FPAL) as determined by the Environment Minister. These have a set statutory timeframe for completion of the assessment.
- Other assessments undertaken as partnership arrangements with the states and territories to better align national and state/territory lists of threatened species and ecological communities. These assessments may include the addition of new items to the national list and review of the status of items already on the list. Reassessment could result in items being delisted or having a change of listing status. There are no statutory timeframes for the completion of these assessments.
More information
- Comment on nominations
- Extensions to EPBC Act nomination timeframes
- Threatened Species Scientific Committee
- Guidelines for assessing the conservation status of native species
- Threatened ecological community nomination form and guidelines
For further information contact the Species Listing or Ecological Communities Sections epbcnominations@environment.gov.au.
Public notices
Open for public comment under the EPBC Act:
- Comment on nominations
- Permits
- Recovery plans
- Referrals and assessments
- Threat abatement plans
- Wildlife trade applications
EPBC Act lists
- About the EPBC Act
- Critical habitat
- Key threatening processes
- Migratory species
- Recovery plans
- Species and communities under the EPBC Act
- Threat abatement plans
- Threatened ecological communities
- Threatened fauna
- Threatened flora
- Listings since commencement of the EPBC Act