STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms SPENDER (Wentworth) (13:30): I'm delighted today to read a speech by Dylan as part of the Raise Our Voice in Parliament program for 2026. Dylan said: 'I first realised the seriousness of Australia's invasive species crisis when my dog began stalking the possums in our backyard. She never caught them, but the thought of what she could do made me stop and think.

What if she did? That moment pushed me to learn more, and what I discovered was alarming. Since colonisation, our biodiversity has plummeted.

At least 45 uniquely Australian species have already been lost because of invasive animals. When species disappear, we lose part of who we are. As a community, we must choose: intervene now or watch damage accelerate.

Right now, invasive species are spreading faster than we can keep up. Some introduced species, such as feral foxes and cats, only took 70 years to cover the continent. Every year we wait, the problem grows.

Parliament must strengthen laws to prevent harmful new species from entering Australia, eradicate emerging threats and contain existing invasive species. If we act now, we can preserve Australia's natural heritage. If we delay, we risk losing it forever.'