The Biosecurity Plan is consistent with the Queensland Biosecurity Act 2014, which includes the following principles:

• Everyone (governments, industries and individuals) has an obligation to manage the risk of Biosecurity Matter to Queensland.
• The response to a Biosecurity Risk should be reasonable and practical. Risk based decision making is used to ensure that the response is proportionate to the level of risk. This allows flexibility in the application of the legislation and balances the interests of the community with those of the individual.
• Application of the precautionary principle. Action should be taken to manage biosecurity incursions where serious or irreversible damage is possible, but the scientific knowledge is incomplete. On balance, the cost of not taking action to minimise a risk is more significant than the cost of taking early and definitive action which subsequently proves to be unnecessary.

The Biosecurity Plan:

• Lists Biosecurity Matter (as defined by the State Government) present in the region
• Identifies actions to be taken to meet objectives and reduce any associated Biosecurity Risks
• Details how the Plan will be monitored, evaluated, and reviewed.

Council actions to manage biosecurity risks fall into the following themes:

• Prevention and early detection
• Monitoring and assessment
• Awareness and education
• Effective management systems
• Strategic planning and management
• Commitment, roles and responsibilities

The Biosecurity Plan assesses how feasible it is to control identified species in the City of Moreton Bay, and identifies management actions based on that assessment.

For example, eradicating feral red deer from the City of Moreton Bay would not be feasible. Instead, the proposed management action is to contain the spread of deer and protect sensitive sites from them. This could be done through fencing that keeps deer out of agricultural land or sensitive environmental areas, paired with control programs to manage population numbers.

Council programs to implement the Biosecurity Plan include:

• Joint funded projects with community groups
• Voluntary conservation programs
• Community nurseries and targeted workshops
• Geospatial data collection for monitoring
• Education and engagement with property owners

Council will use a range of tools to support landowners to manage high risk weeds and pest species on their properties:

• Providing help and support, including educational materials.
• Providing advice on developing site management plans, including inspection of problem areas and discussing options to manage them.
• Where necessary, enforcement orders and penalties where there is clear evidence of ongoing non-compliance.

You can play your part in managing weeds and pest species by:

• Washing vehicles and machinery to prevent the spread of weed seeds
• Not planting or sharing cuttings of plant species that are classified as weeds
• Securing pets that could become pests, including cats and dogs, on your property
• Checking your yard regularly for weeds and pests like fire ants and seeking advice on how to manage them
• Reporting new or unusual species to the State Government.

Council has worked with Biosecurity Queensland to develop a best practice plan for the City of Moreton Bay.

The Stakeholder Reference Group established by Council to support development of the Biodiversity Plan also provided feedback about the threats posed by weeds and pests to our natural environments and potential management actions to address them.