Aestra was engaged by the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts to provide embedded technical and programmatic support to develop an endorsable and implementable approach for the Christmas Island Strategic Assessment (CISA). Working collaboratively with Australian Public Service officers as part of a taskforce we:

• Advised on key policy positions to inform the draft CISA Sustainable Development Plan, including developing outcomes and commitments for Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) protected matters.
• Worked closely with subject matter experts (Parks Australia, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and research institutions) to scope a Christmas Island Biosecurity Strategy to manage whole-of-island impacts, and a Christmas Island Threat Management Program to manage the incursion and spread of threat species (including pest species and weeds using biological controls).
• Developed the draft CISA Strategic Impact Assessment Report, including impacts of the management class of actions and impact of development on the spread of island threats.
• Prepared briefing and a detailed cost estimate for the 30-year implementation of the CISA Program, and a new policy proposal and submission for government consideration.
• Developed implementation arrangements, including an approach based on regulatory requirements under the EPBC Act and applied Western Australia law.

The CISA Program is currently on hold.

Photo credit: Aestra, 2022.