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 (351) 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.

Paragraph 184(c) of the Act relevantly provides that the Minister may make legislative instruments amending the list of threatened native species by transferring items from one category in the list to another category in the list, in accordance with the nomination and listing process outlined in the Act.

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

Purpose of Instrument

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

• Including the following species in the List:

• Callitris oblonga subsp. corangensis in the Critically Endangered category.
• Monotoca rotundifolia in the Endangered category.

• Transferring the following species by deleting the species from the Endangered category in the List and including it in the Critically Endangered category in the List:

• Andersonia axilliflora
• Eucalyptus imlayensis

• Transferring the following species by deleting the species from the Vulnerable category in the List and including it in the Critically Endangered category in the List:

• Acacia constablei

Callitris oblonga subsp. corangensis is considered threatened due to habitat loss, disturbance and modification, invasive species, climate change, threats resulting from a small and fragmented populations and disease.

Monotoca rotundifolia is considered threatened due to habitat disturbance and modification, disease and climate change.

Andersonia axilliflora is considered threatened due to disease, habitat loss, disturbance and modification, climate change and invasive species.

Eucalyptus imlayensis is considered threatened due to climate change, habitat loss, disturbance and modification, small and fragmented population, impacts of native species and disease.

Acacia constablei is considered threatened due to climate change, habitat loss, disturbance and modification, impacts of native species and disease.

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 186(2B) of the Act provides that in deciding whether to delete a native species from a particular category (whether as a result of a transfer or otherwise), the only matters the Minister may consider are matters relating to whether the native species is eligible to be included in that category or the effect that the inclusion of the native species in that category is having, or could have, on the survival of the species.

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 Callitris oblonga subsp. corangensis in the Critically Endangered category in the List.

The Minister was satisfied that the requisite criteria was met for including Monotoca rotundifolia in the Endangered category in the List.

The Minister was satisfied that the requisite criteria was met for transferring Andersonia axilliflora and Eucalyptus imlayensis by deleting these from the Endangered category and including them in the Critically Endangered category in the List.

The Minister was satisfied that the requisite criteria was met for transferring Acacia constablei by deleting it from the Vulnerable category and including it 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 on whether the nominated species were eligible for inclusion in the List. The Committee assessed Callitris oblonga subsp. corangensis as eligible for inclusion in the Critically Endangered category in the List; Monotoca rotundifolia as eligible for inclusion in the Endangered category in the List. The Committee assessed Andersonia axilliflora and Eucalyptus imlayensis as eligible for transferring from the Endangered category to the Critically Endangered category. The Committee assessed Acacia constablei as eligible for transferring from the Vulnerable category to the Critically Endangered category.

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.

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

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

ATTACHMENT A

Details of the List of Threatened Species Amendment (351) Instrument 2023

Section 1 – Name

This section provides that the name of this instrument is the List of Threatened Species Amendment (351) 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- Amendment

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 heading “SPECIES THAT ARE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED” under the Declaration under s178, s181, and s183 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to include in the appropriate position each of the following species:

• Callitris oblonga subsp. corangensis
• Andersonia axilliflora
• Eucalyptus imlayensis
• Acacia constablei

Item 2 – SPECIES THAT ARE ENDANGERED

Item 2 amends the heading “SPECIES THAT ARE ENDANGERED” under the Declaration under s178, s181, and s183 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to include in the appropriate position each of the following species:

• Monotoca rotundifolia

Item 3 – SPECIES THAT ARE ENDANGERED

Item 3 amends the heading “SPECIES THAT ARE ENDANGERED” under the principal instrument to omit the species Andersonia axilliflora and Eucalyptus imlayensis.

Item 4 – SPECIES THAT ARE VULNERABLE

Item 4 amends the heading “SPECIES THAT ARE VULNERABLE” under the principal instrument to omit the species Acacia constablei.

ATTACHMENT B