Biosecurity planning With Biosecurity Queensland’s Backing Local Governments Team

To help local governments fulfil their legislative obligations, Biosecurity Queensland (BQ) has redeveloped a suite of planning tools useful for the development of biosecurity plans—the Invasive Species Planning Toolkit. The Invasive Species Planning Toolkit is designed to help local governments assess and prioritise invasive species for prevention, surveillance, treatment and eradication. The tools provide a user-friendly, science-based guide to biosecurity planning strategies and actions for effective management. The Invasive Species Planning Toolkit will be available soon on the Department of Primary Industries website. The Backing Local Governments project—a new BQ initiative—will support Queensland councils in their management of invasive species. In addition to the launch of the revised Invasive Species Planning Toolkit, the team are updating guidance material and templates to assist local governments in fulfilling their obligations under the Biosecurity Act 2014 (the Act). This presentation will share the project’s insights with PAWS delegates into current best practice in biosecurity planning and pest prioritisation since commencement of the project in October 2024.