Interview with Nikolai Beilharz, ABC Adelaide Drive

E&OE TRANSCRIPT 
RADIO INTERVIEW 
ABC ADELAIDE DRIVE WITH NIKOLAI BEILHARZ 
TUESDAY, 25 AUGUST 2026  

SUBJECTS: H5 bird flu 

NIKOLAI BEILHARZ, HOST: Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins has been at Cleland, is with us this afternoon. Minister, thank you for your time. 

JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: Thanks for having me on. And to your listeners in South Australia today. 

BEILHARZ: What kind of birds are going to be protected? 

COLLINS: Well, these are obviously some of our most vulnerable species, so it's things like the orange bellied parrot and the regent honeyeater. It'll be up to 100 birds and over 30 species at Cleland park that will be approved for the vaccination. 

BEILHARZ: And how is that decided? Is it the species that are that are most threatened or most at risk? 

COLLINS. So, we've been working with the CSIRO and with states and territories over the last two years, and the CSIRO have taken a vaccine that was designed for chicken, poultry, and been testing it in Australian native birds and about what is appropriate, what is an appropriate dose, and the efficacy of that. And we have been working with states and territories, since we've got that approved national framework from that scientific data and evidence from the regulator, to be able to get an emergency permit to administer the vaccine to Australian native birds. So, it really is based on the states and territories' priorities, and that's done on a range of measures. So, vulnerability, obviously in terms of endangered or threatened species, but also whether or not they're a managed or a captive population unable to be vaccinated because they do need two vaccines, so a few weeks apart. So, it is also about whether or not they congregate together and what their actual risk to the H5 bird flu is, based on an assessment that has been done by the states and territories. 

BEILHARZ: On the logistical side of things, in terms of vaccine availability, is that a hurdle that needs to be jumped, actually physically getting enough doses, or is that less of a problem? 

COLLINS: That's less of a problem. We have invested around $2 million with the CSIRO laboratory work, plus the purchasing of vaccines. So, we do have a number of vaccines that are available for the states and territories. And as a Commonwealth, we've been pretty upfront that if the states and territories do need more vaccines, we will work with them to purchase those. But really it is about priorities and about what is manageable. But I would also reiterate that the vaccines aren't the only solution here. The big issue here is biosecurity, and it's also biosecurity that is our strongest line of defence. So, we've also been investing, both at Cleland Park and other wildlife parks across the country, in improving biosecurity. So, that's things like making sure there's a safe supply of water and feed, making sure that captive birds can't interact with wild native birds, trying to protect them as much as possible. 

BEILHARZ: How much of a difference will the vaccines make, do you think? 

COLLINS: Well, that's a scientific question there. And as I said, the CSIRO has been doing the work in terms of the efficacy and the value of those. And we, we have been working with states and territories around what is feasible on the number of birds that are able to be vaccinated and how they be prioritised. 

BEILHARZ: It's not a silver bullet, though. People shouldn't say, right, they're vaccinated, they're safe. 

COLLINS: Biosecurity is our strongest line of defence and that's certainly what the evidence from overseas has shown us. And we've also obviously been really careful to make sure that the Australian public understands that once it is circulating in the wildlife, that it is not able to be stopped in terms of the H5 bird flu and that I know it's really concerning. For Australians, we are going to see increased numbers of mass mortalities and we are going to see increased numbers, particularly of marine mammals. 

BEILHARZ. So, for these birds at Cleland, how quickly will this occur? What kind of timeline are you working under? 

COLLINS: Well, we will make that happen as quickly as we can. So, the vaccines will be shipped in the coming days. So, we will work with the South Australian government on how many vials of vaccines. They obviously need a cool storage or storage in terms of their transport, and we will get them here in coming days. So, it could be as early as next week for vaccinations, depending on how quickly we can move. 

BEILHARZ: You mentioned earlier the role that states play in this and the priority levels that they can set. In Victoria, they're planning to vaccinate the little penguin population on Phillip Island. To this point, the indication has been that that's not going to happen here in South Australia. And you get the feeling certainly when we talk about this, that a lot of people would like to see some of our little penguin populations protected. Are there any roadblocks at the federal level to stop that from happening? 

COLLINS: Well, the Victorian government has been working very closely with the CSIRO in relation to testing on the penguins, and they have long held managed populations, particularly around Phillip island, in terms of their little penguins there. So, it has been a decision of the Victorian government to vaccinate their managed population of little penguins, particularly in light, I think, of the large tourism impact, but as well as the wildlife impact that it has there in Victoria. 

BEILHARZ: Okay, but there's no point at which, at the Federal level, you're saying you can't do this. That ball is more in the state's court. 

COLLINS: Well, it'll be up to states and territories, as I said, to prioritise what native birds they do intend to vaccinate. But we do need to be realistic that these birds need to have two vaccinations and they need to be several weeks apart. So, it depends on, you know, if they're in the wild about how they're managed and whether or not we can, you know, rely on them coming back to get a second shot. 

BEILHARZ: You mentioned that the likelihood is that we will see more mass mortality events. Those that we have seen here in South Australia so far have been in relatively remote areas. Is the expectation that, well, the kind of likelihood is over time, some of those may occur in more populated or built-up areas in Adelaide or SA? 

COLLINS: Yeah, I know that it's very sad and very distressing in terms of, you know, the vision of a lot of deceased native birds. But we will continue to see mass mortalities, as I've indicated. We do know from the overseas experience it's not possible to stop it in the wildlife. And certainly what we have seen overseas is increased numbers of mass mortalities as it spreads. And various countries overseas, it comes in waves. And some of them have had two or three waves now of H5 coming through the country. Obviously we've been shielded for that from the past few years, which has given us time to prepare. And we're one of the most prepared places prior to getting the H5 bird flu. And we continue to work with wildlife experts, with state and territory governments, and working with industry, particularly in terms of the agricultural industry, to do everything we can do to protect Australia as much as possible. But there's only so much that is possible with a disease like this. 

BEILHARZ: On the agricultural production side of things. Where are you sitting at the moment in terms of that idea of at some point potentially requiring chicken producers to house birds if they're free range? 

COLLINS: Well, that again is a decision of state governments, and it will be based on the local transmission in the area at the time. And you'll note that on birdflu.gov.au, if listeners want to go on and have a look, they can actually see maps where these events are across Australia in terms of where there is birds being found with the H5 bird flu. And that provides people with more of an on-ground ability to respond because they can see where it is moving across the country. But states and territories will make those decisions depending on where the disease is at the time. And we've obviously, at a federal level, done the work with the ACCC in terms of the labelling, particularly of free range in relation to the amount of time that they can be housed for. And we continue to work really closely with states and territories on that. 

BEILHARZ: We have spoken obviously a bit about the vaccines this afternoon. Another question that comes up quite a lot is whether or not, maybe more towards the longer term, a vaccine will be commercially available for either the agricultural sector or for people who have pets that want to vaccinate. Is that something that could be a possibility at some point? 

COLLINS. So, we're certainly working very closely with the poultry industry, particularly the hen laying industry, in relation to whether or not poultry vaccine is feasible and viable in relation to those chickens. And we continue to have those discussions and have them with industry and look at the most available evidence and research that we're seeing from overseas in relation to it. And we are relying on the technical advice in relation to that from industry, but also from our technical experts in relation to, in the poultry industry. In terms of more broadly, there is not a vaccine available for other mammals other than the bird vaccine. So, we're looking at and working closely and talking regularly with researchers in the United States in terms of a mammal vaccine and talking to them. They've got a trial in California and Hawaii in relation to a mammal vaccine. So, we continue to keep up to date on that. And our chief vet is talking to counterparts overseas, and we're also talking to regulators in Australia. So, should something become available about how quickly we could move. 

BEILHARZ: Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, thanks for joining us on Drive this afternoon. 

COLLINS: Thanks very much.