Joint media release: Spotlight on One Health and national preparedness for H5 bird flu

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.

For more information on the Government’s bird flu preparedness, visit: www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/avian-influenza/resources

Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP:

“Australia remains the only continent free from H5 bird flu, but the movement of wild birds poses an ongoing risk to our agricultural industry, environment, economy and human health.

“One Health Day is an important reminder of the interconnection between people, animals and ecosystems, and that being prepared requires coordinated action across government, industry and communities.

“We’ve prioritised this since coming to government, with additional funding from the Albanese Labor Government strengthening surveillance, preparedness and response capability to mitigate the impacts of a potential H5 bird flu outbreak.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt:

“Australia is very lucky not to have not yet experienced the H5 strain that’s impacting most of the world. The Albanese Government is helping State and Territory Governments to be as ready as possible by investing in strong and healthy populations and habitats for our most at-risk threatened species.

“We’re equipping local authorities with the tools they need, ramping up monitoring and early detection efforts in wild populations and protecting native threatened species in captivity.

“This $2.15 million announced today will help develop more than 200 plans for priority species and sites, and the actions that can be taken by State and Territory Governments to prepare for, respond to, and recover from this devastating virus.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Emergency Management, Kristy McBain MP:

“It’s really important that we plan and prepare for a range of natural disasters, including a possible outbreak of H5 bird flu.

“Recently the Government held Operation Convergence, which brought together states and territories, industry bodies and other stakeholders to war game scenarios where we see a number of disasters happening at once.

“Our agencies will continue to work together to ensure we can respond to and recover from any crisis.”