Response to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment's 'Import risk review for psittacine birds from all countries'

We provide comments to The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment on their ‘Import risk review for psittacine birds from all countries’ draft report. Due to serious key omissions, we do not support the import of psittacine birds based on the evidence provided in the risk review. The report does not provide sufficient transparency, nor evidence-based assessments of all benefits, risks, or associated costs, of allowing the import of psittacine birds. If the Department wishes to pursue this assessment, then future risk reviews must include the associated costs of facilitating new invasive species, and provide justification on the broader societal benefits of allowing import of psittacine birds. It is our professional scientific opinion that the benefits of importing psittacine birds are outweighed by the significant damages caused by the potential introduction of new invasive species.

By Katherine Hill, Phill Cassey, Oliver C. Stringham, Adam Toomes in Report

September 18, 2020