Peak Coordinating Bodies And Invasive Alien Species: Is The Whole Worth More Than The Sum Of Its Parts?

The development of regimes to regulate invasive alien species (IAS) has historically progressed in a fragmented and ad hoc manner. To remedy this situation the United States of America and Great Britain have introduced peak coordination bodies to draw their regimes together. However, in Australia, the Senate has expressed concern at the consequences of establishing such bodies, concluding that they merely duplicate regulation at the various levels of government; and, additionally, have the potential to destabilize Australias constitutional balance of powers. Using a comparative methodology based on the `functionalist approach, this paper undertakes a comparative study of IAS regulation in Australia, the United States of America and Great Britain to evaluate coordination mechanisms instituted by way of a peak coordinating body. It is argued that coordination is essential to the effective operation of IAS regimes and that peak coordinating bodies are well-placed to draw together initiatives established at different levels of government; making the whole worth more than the sum of its parts