EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

(Issued under the Authority of the Minister for the Environment and Water)

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

List of Threatened Species Amendment (348) Instrument 2023

Background

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Act) provides for the protection of the environment and conservation of biodiversity, including the protection and conservation of threatened species.

Subsection 178(1) of the Act provides that the Minister must, by legislative instrument, establish a list of threatened species (List) separated into the following categories: Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable and Conservation Dependent.

Paragraph 184(a) of the Act relevantly provides that the Minister may, by legislative instrument, amend the List referred to in section 178 by including items within the List in accordance with Subdivision AA.

The species being included in the List met the criteria for listing in the Critically Endangered category under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 (Regulations).

Purpose of Instrument

The purpose of this Instrument is to amend the List by:

• Including the following species in the List:

• Galaxias aequipinnis in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias brevissimus in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias gunaikurnai in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias lanceolatus in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias longifundus in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias mcdowalli in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias sp. nov. ‘Yalmy’ in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias supremus in the Critically Endangered category.

Galaxias aequipinnis, Galaxias gunaikurnai, Galaxias lanceolatus, Galaxias longifundus, Galaxias mcdowalli and Galaxias sp. nov. ‘Yalmy’ are considered threatened by introduced species, fire, climate change and habitat loss and disturbance.

Galaxias brevissimus is considered threatened by climate change, invasive species, habitat loss and modification.

Galaxias supremus is considered threatened by exotic and invasive species, small population genetic effects and climate change.

Subsection 186(1) of the Act provides that the Minister must not include (whether as a result of a transfer or otherwise) a native species on the List in a particular category unless satisfied that the native species is eligible to be included in that category.

Subsection 179(3) of the Act provides that a native species is eligible to be included in the Critically Endangered category at a particular time if, at that time, it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future, as determined in accordance with the prescribed criteria.

Regulation 7.01 of the Regulations provides that for section 179 of the Act, a native species is in the critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable category if it meets any of the five criteria for the category mentioned in the table to that provision.

The Minister was satisfied that the requisite criteria was met for including Galaxias aequipinnis, Galaxias brevissimus, Galaxias gunaikurnai, Galaxias lanceolatus, Galaxias longifundus, Galaxias mcdowalli, Galaxias sp. nov. ‘Yalmy’ and Galaxias supremus in the Critically Endangered category in the List.

Consultation

The process for making amendments to the List to include or transfer an item is set out in Part 13, Division 1, Subdivision AA of the Act. Consultation was undertaken before the Instrument was made, in accordance with the processes outlined in Part 13, Division 1, Subdivision AA of the Act.

Notice of the proposed amendment and a consultation document was made available for public comment for a minimum of 30 business days as required by subsection 194M(3). Any public comments received that were relevant to the survival of the species were considered by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (Committee) as part of the assessment process.

The Committee prepared a written assessment of whether the nominated species was eligible for inclusion in the List. The Committee assessed Galaxias aequipinnis, Galaxias brevissimus, Galaxias gunaikurnai, Galaxias lanceolatus, Galaxias longifundus, Galaxias mcdowalli, Galaxias sp. nov. ‘Yalmy’ and Galaxias supremus as eligible for inclusion in the Critically Endangered category in the List.

In making this Instrument, the Minister considered the Committee’s written assessment and any comments received during the consultation period in accordance with Part 13, Division 1, Subdivision AA of the Act.

As extensive consultation undertaken on the proposed listing contained in the legislative instrument, it was not necessary to consult on the text of the instrument itself.

Details/ Operation

Details of the Instrument are set out in Attachment A.

The Instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared under section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011. A statement of compatibility is set out in Attachment B.

This Instrument is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003 and commences the day after registration.

Authority: Paragraph 184(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

ATTACHMENT A

Details of the List of Threatened Species Amendment (348) Instrument 2023

Section 1 – Name

This section provides that the name of this instrument is the List of Threatened Species Amendment (348) Instrument 2023.

Section 2 – Commencement

This section provides that this instrument commences on the day after it is registered.

Section 3 – Authority

This section provides that this instrument is made under section 184 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Section 4 – Schedules

This section specifies that the Declaration under s178, s181, and s183 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is amended as outlined in Schedule 1 of the instrument.

Schedule 1- Amendments

Declaration under s178, s181, and s183 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Item 1 – SPECIES THAT ARE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

Item 1 amends the list under the heading “SPECIES THAT ARE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED” to include in the appropriate position each of the following species:

• Galaxias aequipinnis in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias brevissimus in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias gunaikurnai in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias lanceolatus in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias longifundus in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias mcdowalli in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias sp. nov. ‘Yalmy’ in the Critically Endangered category.
• Galaxias supremus in the Critically Endangered category.