This led me to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbits_in_Australia#Biologica..., which is fascinating: it turns out that Australia has been trying to eradicate rabbits with viruses for decades. Surprising, I guess, because of how scary the same thing for humans would be.
Rabbits are a scourge in Queensland. When I bought my Akubra hat at the Victoria market in Melbourne the vendor confidently told me it was the only good use for a rabbit. (the hats are rabbit felt).
Does any agency offer a bounty on rabbits? For example in some lakes in Colorado you can get a bounty for catching and killing non-native northern pike[1]. Does Australia have a similar system in place? There is lots of data about how much of a pest they are [2] but other than dogs and foxes I don't see a bounty program. Trappers decimated the American west of Beaver because they could sell the pelts, perhaps a market for rabbit pelts would be enough incentive to encourage trappers?
[1] http://www.gameandfishmag.com/conservation-politics/20-north...
[2] http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/pests-diseases-and...
Have wild rabbits been mostly dealt with in Queensland? Because if not, it's not obvious to me how a relatively tiny additional source of escaped/released pet rabbits would make a difference?
Too bad. Rabbits are the best small-scale meat animal.
Is it illegal to bring a dog into Australia unless you are Johnny Depp?
Answer: Australia has very strict bio-security laws.
A shame. For vegetarians/vegans they're one of the few pets that can be nice, social animals and don't have to eat meat. A pet would be fixed, so there's no risk of escape into the wild... But pets have to be bred so the risk is still there.
Maybe some system where rabbits could be certified as "imported fixed" and tagged as such? So only intact animals could be legally imported?
Answer:
> From Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries brochure Can I have a pet rabbit?,
> Why are pet rabbits illegal in Queensland?
> Rabbits are Australia's most destructive agricultural and environmental introduced animal pest, [...]
> Can I get a permit for a pet rabbit?
> A permit cannot be issued for keeping pet rabbits of any variety for any private purpose.
> A permit to keep domestic rabbits in Queensland can only be approved if the animal is being kept for an approved purpose:
> certain forms of public entertainment (e.g. magic show and circuses)
> scientific and research purposes
So you could be a magician OR a scientist