Senator The Hon Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water
The Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
The Albanese Government is injecting a further $1.3 million to support native species across New South Wales that are most at risk from a potential H5 avian influenza (bird flu) outbreak.
The state's little penguins and black swans are just some of the species being bolstered against the threat of H5 bird flu.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will undertake drone surveys of wildlife, revegetation works at various sites, and ground-based and aerial invasive species control.
These activities focus on areas that provide critical habitats for many species vulnerable to H5 bird flu. Areas include Ramsar and remote wetlands, offshore islands and other sites used by migratory shorebirds, seabirds and waterbirds.
Project highlights include:
- Installing additional nesting boxes for the important insurance population of Gould's petrel at Baranguba Montague Island Nature Reserve.
- Aerial control of water hyacinth, a Weed of National Significance, to improve habitat for waterbird species, such as black swans and brolgas, at the Gwydir Wetlands State Conservation Area.
- Boosting an existing feral animal control program to reduce pressure on threatened migratory birds, like the Latham's snipe, in the Macquarie Marshes Nature Reserve.
- Weed control and native fig tree planting on Lion Island Nature Reserve, to improve the habitat around little penguin burrows.
Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt said it will be impossible to prevent H5 bird flu affecting native species in the wild if it arrives.
"The best way we can protect species most vulnerable to H5 bird flu is to have strong and healthy populations," Minister Watt said.
"This means work repairing habitat and managing threats like weeds that choke burrows and entangle birds as well as invasive predators such as feral cats and black rats, is more important than ever."
This funding is part of the Albanese Government's broader $100 million investment to prepare for H5 bird flu.
This includes $35.9 million for environment measures, with investments already underway in New South Wales, including $300,000 to support species and site preparedness planning and more than $1.1 million to protect captive populations of threatened species in facilities across the state.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins said protecting Australia's unique wildlife is a priority in preparedness efforts for H5 bird flu.
"As part of our one health preparations for H5 bird flu, we're actively working with our state government counterparts and the local community to bolster native populations," Minister Collins said.
"Strengthening our preparedness to H5 bird flu is critical - not just for our valuable agricultural industries, but for our unique natural environment and the broader community."
