Regulating Victoria's threatened species

Why this is important

Habitat loss and degradation have had significant impacts on Victoria’s plants and animals. More than 1,000 terrestrial plant and animal species are currently endangered. The latest State of the Environment report rated 26 of 42 biodiversity indicators as poor, with 20 deteriorating since 2020.

Victoria protects threatened species through a mix of regulation, strategic planning, community engagement and targeted conservation actions. The Conservation Regulator, Parks Victoria and local councils are responsible for enforcing laws that protect native habitat and species. To be effective, their regulatory activities require:

• timely intelligence gathering and information sharing
• a risk-based approach to regulatory decision-making
• effective monitoring, compliance and enforcement
• enough trained staff to monitor and enforce non-compliance. 

There should be transparency around how effectively these agencies are performing these regulatory activities. Identifying gaps in how well they are performing, according to regulatory frameworks and policies, may also help strengthen regulatory frameworks to protect threatened species.

What we plan to examine

We plan to examine if the Conservation Regulator, Parks Victoria and local councils are protecting Victoria's threatened species and enforcing compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Who we plan to examine

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Parks Victoria

A selection of local councils