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Indicator: BD-05 Alignment of State/Territory and Australian Government listing processes

Data

The Australian, state and territory governments each maintain lists of threatened species. The Australian government lists species that are nationally threatened both within and across state and territory jurisdictions, while the state and territory Governments focus on those species considered threatened within their jurisdictions. The assessment of species as threatened is the first step to promoting their recovery, and allows governments and decision-makers to identify those species in particular need of protection.

Different jurisdictions manage threatened species according to different laws. As a result, it is often difficult to compare threatened species lists across jurisdictions, and there is the potential for inconsistent assessments resulting in conflicting information on threatened species. For example, a species may be listed as ‘endangered’ in one state, yet in another state it may be listed as ‘critically endangered’. This inconsistency may be due to the species being subject to a higher degree of threat in one particular state, or it may be due to the fact that in some states, ‘endangered’ is the highest listing category available. This has the potential to create confusion. This lack of consistency may also reduce the effectiveness of conservation actions, such as the development of recovery plans and implementation of threat abatement activities.

In 2004, the Australian government initiated the Species Information Partnerships with a number of state and territory governments. The objective of the Species Information Partnerships is to develop a national approach to species listing, agreed on by all jurisdictions, such that:

• threatened species listing decisions are transparent and are based on rigorous science and the best available information;
• information about threatened species, including conservation status data sets, is shared between jurisdictions and;
• greater consistency is achieved between listing processes across jurisdictions.

Through sharing data, and ensuring assessments are based on the most up to date information available, this approach will reduce duplication of assessment activities and allow for more targeted expenditure of limited conservation resources. It will also facilitate the best possible conservation outcomes for threatened species as information is shared and recovery and threat abatement activities can be undertaken in partnership, where appropriate.

During 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Species Information Partnerships project is focusing on removing inconsistencies between the state and territory and the Australian government lists of threatened species, through information exchange. This will establish a shared understanding of the conservation status of nationally threatened species. Following this, the Species Information Partnerships will aim to align listing processes so that new listings are consistently handled, information is shared and duplication is reduced.

No data on progress towards these objectives are available at this time.

What the data mean

Since its initiation, the Species Information Partnerships have proved very successful. The Australian government has developed cooperative working relationships with five states and territories to date and will continue to work with the jurisdictions not yet involved in the project.

It is too early to analyse outcomes of the process.

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Biodiversity - Species, habitats and ecological communities - Government action on species and ecological communities 

The indicator will show government action aimed to achieve this alignment of processes.

Other indicators for this issue:

• BD-02 Conservation status of nationally significant species and ecological communities, compared with previous years 
• BD-03 Summary of measures being implemented to respond to threats to biodiversity from invasive species 
• BD-04 Listed threatened species or ecological communities for which recovery action is showing stable or increasing populations 
• BD-24 Government investments to protect biodiversity for public good purposes 
• CO-02 Number of marine species that are endangered or threatened and changes in population/ distribution of selected threatened species 
• CO-33 Number of species legislatively protected, number with management plans or where management actions have been taken 
• CO-34 Number and extent of Marine Protected Areas 

Coasts and Oceans - Societal responses to direct pressures of human activities on coasts and oceans - Protection of coasts, oceans and marine and coastal biodiversity 

Alignment of listing process for protection of species is likely to be an indication of enhanced protection processes.

Other indicators for this issue:

• CO-33 Number of species legislatively protected, number with management plans or where management actions have been taken 
• CO-34 Number and extent of Marine Protected Areas 
• BD-04 Listed threatened species or ecological communities for which recovery action is showing stable or increasing populations 
• CO-02 Number of marine species that are endangered or threatened and changes in population/ distribution of selected threatened species