Key senate crossbencher David Pocock is urging the federal government to give more funding to an invasive species centre in the coming budget, fearing critical research on how to control introduced pests could be at risk.
The Canberra-based Centre for Invasive Species Solutions (CISS) has guaranteed funding until the end of this financial year.
However CISS has indicated it will begin winding down some research and development in October, unless it receives more certainty about its long-term financial position.
"If the [centre] is not funded there's going to be a gaping hole in our biodiversity and agricultural safeguards," Senator Pocock said.
"They're doing a lot of really important research and a lot of this research is long-term."
Mr Pocock has written to the Labor Agriculture Minister, Murray Watt, urging him to secure more money and announce it soon, so key researchers don't think about moving on due to the uncertainty.
The ACT Independent is crucial to the Albanese Government's prospects of passing controversial legislation in the new Senate but said he hoped it wouldn't be something he'd have to bargain with.
"For invasive species research you'd really hope you don't have to do that," he said, adding invasive species controls were vital to the future of Australia's native flora and fauna.
"It seems common sense to me. I'm sure a solution can be found."
Farmers also concerned about CISS
Australia has one of the highest extinction rates for plants and animals in the world.
In the recently released 2021 State of the Environment Report, invasive species were identified as the biggest threat, accounting for 80 per cent of mammal extinctions.
CISS works on projects for controlling species like deer, carp, wild dogs, foxes and rabbits.
Last year, the former Coalition Government indicated it was going to change the way it invested in the centre from providing block funding to moving to a project-by-project funding model.
It wanted to ensure taxpayers were getting value for money.
The states, research institutions and philanthropists also help fund the centre.
But the ongoing uncertainty facing research projects at CISS also has the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) concerned.
It would like the Commonwealth to commit to a five-year funding agreement.
"Our understanding is the funding arrangements are still being looked at," said NFF's chief executive Tony Mahar.
"We understand governments need to make sure they are spending money wisely.
"But we can't relax on this sort of thing.
"October is coming up very fast. The certainty for any business, particularly for research which takes a long time, so we really don't want to see any gaps in the funding."
