Peacock Bass - Pioneer R - Mackay

[Ducksta]

Yea, there is nothing illegal about keeping, breeding, trading them.
Imports (to Australia) are governed federally. So they are not allowed to be newly imported. But all the fish already here can be maintained.
Noxious lists are managed at the state level - and I'm pretty sure they are not on any state noxious list.

Not sure what you could charge someone with for releasing them. Maybe some general environmental laws? Eco-terrorism?

Like everything, most people who have a hobby are pretty passionate and pretty sensible...
I've put some feelers out to see if anyone knows anything - I haven't been super involved with that hobby for a while. But I still know most of the right people down this way anyway.
I just keep 1 display tank in my lounge room now. 10 years or so ago I had a fishroom and spent weekends shipping live fish to wholesalers and hobbiests all over.