This post has been written in response to the Federal Minister Tanya Plibersek's release in LinkedIn relating to feral cats and the proposed National Feral Cat Action Plan. For those developing environmental strategies, its imperative to consider whether in developing your overall priorities you are responding objectively and without blind spots or biases, something that in my view requires an outside perspective. This could sound self-serving but a consultant that will look at the facts objectively and provide recommendations, address gaps, and who has the courage to speak frankly has the power to effect change and enable others to do the same. Years ago, one man ran a hate campaign in Australia against cats, result most Australians would prefer to own a dog than a cat, and have a bias against cats. In our view, this has become institutionalised both in the community, government and science communities. Loving nature and supporting solutions means respecting that humans have the biggest impact on the environment and we need to be courageous, stand up and acknowledge this. Having done that we need to take the decisions that bring the results. In our view, the largest impact on biodiversity in Australia is due to climate change, and the second largest is related to population increases and intensity in wildlife habitat. While spotting fires to appease voters might be an option, let's see some big decisions followed by strong strategy to take on the real issues we are facing. We believe there are always humane solutions to difficult problems that can be addressed if we are willing to move away from popular politics towards responsible action that acknowledges our part in the problem. Additionally, we develop interconnected solutions that resolve more than one pressing issue. It is our view that this needs to be better considered by governments working into the future. Kathleen's thoughts below on humane solutions regarding feral cats.
Australian Minister for the Environment and Water at Australian Government | Authorised T Plibersek, ALP, Redfern.
We’re serious about protecting our native animals. That’s why we’re tackling one of their biggest killers – feral cats. Today we announced we’re investing $60 million in 55 projects to halt the invasive pest’s path of destruction. Across Australia, we’re seeing the rollout of AI-enhanced Felixer traps, drone-based thermal cameras, cat sound deterrents, AI-operated gates, and more, across a range of terrains. I also know there’s been a lot of interest in the national action plan to combat feral cats – that’s coming soon. Stay tuned.