The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is to crack down on the exporting of Australian wildlife following a review of wildlife trade permits.
Ordered by the Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley the new measures may include the DNA tracking of native wildlife.
Ms Ley ordered the report to ensure adequate protections were in place to thwart dodgy dealers and exporters seeking to profit from trade in native species both here and overseas.
“It is important that we are setting the highest possible benchmarks in the regulation of wildlife trade,” Ms Ley said.
“My Department will be cracking down in all areas covered by the report to ensure we have the strongest systems in place.”
She said the initiative built on the recommendations of the Samuel Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
“The growing involvement of organised crime in the trade, sophisticated international trading operations and the soaring value of Australian wildlife on black markets, some of which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars, underline the need to send the strongest possible deterrent,” Ms Ley said.
“Already in the last 12 months we have secured a number of convictions and prison sentences for wildlife trade offences.”
Ms Ley requested the commissioning of the report by the Department following speculation around licensed bird exports.
The report found there was no wrongdoing by Departmental officials, and no evidence of criminal behaviour in relation to export licences, but did identify a number of recommendations to strengthen the way wildlife trade was regulated by the Department.
The Departmental Secretary has accepted all the recommendations contained in the report.
The 25-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
