Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water
The Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
The Hon Kristy McBain MP, Minister for Emergency Management, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government, and Territories
This One Health Day, the Albanese Labor Government continues to strengthen Australia's surveillance, preparedness and response capability for H5 bird flu to protect agricultural industries, wildlife and human health-backed by more than $100 million in funding.
Australia is the only continent that remains free from H5 avian influenza (bird flu), but its rapid global spread has led to significant impacts on poultry, wild birds and some mammal species-with the potential of also impacting human health.
One Health Day recognises the deep connection between human, animal, plant and environmental health and is a reminder that responding to complex disease issues, such as a potential H5 bird flu outbreak, requires collaboration across all levels of government, industry and communities.
As part of strengthening preparedness on One Health Day, the Albanese Government is providing $2.15 million to State and Territory Governments to protect native species most at risk from an outbreak of H5 Bird Flu.
State and territory environment agencies are developing plans covering more than 200 sites and species which will help strengthen preparedness work that is already underway across the country.
This effort includes:
- Plans for priority sites and large multi-site regional plans for wildlife. This includes important wetlands like the Moreton Bay Ramsar site in Queensland, internationally significant migratory bird sites like the Abrolhos Islands group off the West Australian coast, and regions that provide a range of important habitats for susceptible birds and marine mammals, like Kangaroo Island.
- And plans outlining actions for H5 bird flu preparedness, response and recovery for high priority species such as the orange-bellied parrot, fairy tern, magpie goose and Tasmanian devil.
It builds on an existing $12 million being provided to states and territories to purchase critical equipment such as mobile laboratories, drones, and emergency animal disease response trailers.
The equipment will enable rapid mobilisation if there are outbreaks in the farming sector or in wildlife, particularly in remote settings.
A further $7 million has also previously been provided to Wildlife Health Australia, which is strengthening wildlife health intelligence and surveillance systems to enhance early detection capabilities.
Preparation for this emergency animal disease remains a core focus of the Albanese Labor Government, which is why we are taking a One Health approach-backed by the additional funding and the establishment of a dedicated cross-agency HPAI Preparedness Taskforce responsible for enhancing national preparedness and response capability.
This funding is part of the Albanese Labor Government's additional investment of $2 billion towards strengthening our national biosecurity system.
