Doorstop in Hobart, Tasmania

E&OE TRANSCRIPT   
DOORSTOP   
HOBART 
FRIDAY, 3 JULY 2026   
  
SUBJECTS: H5 bird flu; Gun law reform.

JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: This afternoon I can confirm that overnight, we now have two new suspect detections of the H5 bird flu that were reported both in wild, migratory seabirds. Testing in New South Wales has returned a positive result in samples taken from a giant petrel found near Hawks Nest on the Mid-Coast of New South Wales. We also have another giant petrel found at Mullaloo Beach in Perth, Western Australia that has also returned some positive results. These samples are now being sent to the CSIRO lab for confirmation. These two suspect cases are in addition to the five confirmed detections in wild migratory seabirds. Four of these confirmed cases were in Western Australia and one was in South Australia. While these additional suspect cases are disappointing, this is a sign that our strong biosecurity system is working. All cases have now been detected in single migratory birds. We know that these birds can travel long distances and can occasionally reach Australia from regions such as the Sub-Antarctic, where we know the H5 bird flu is present. I want to reiterate that there is no evidence of any mass mortalities at this time due to the H5 bird flu. Nor is there any evidence of it in any other animal populations at this point in time. There is also no evidence of infection in our poultry or agricultural systems, and that there continues to be a low risk to human health. As I said, our government has been preparing for this with over $113 million to boost our H5 bird flu preparedness as part of our $2 billion in additional biosecurity funding since coming to office. Our response to the bird flu in Australia has been both swift and coordinated, and our national biosecurity response arrangements have been enacted with state and territory governments managing the on-ground response. Earlier today, I chaired a meeting of Australia's Agricultural Ministers to discuss the ongoing response to detections of the H5 bird flu. I do want to thank Australians for reporting sick or dead birds over recent weeks. If you do see a sick or dead bird, please do not touch them. Please avoid contact, but record what you see and where it is and make a report to birdflu.gov au. I'm happy to take some questions. 

JOURNALIST: Minister, given this positive case that we've got on the East Coast of Australia with the giant petrel, is it inevitable that the poultry industries in Australia will be infected with H5N1? 

COLLINS: So, I reiterate that there is no detection in our poultry or agricultural systems. What I can say is that we have been preparing for the H5 bird flu incursion into Australia should it occur. We have been seeing what it has done overseas. We also have learnt from H7 outbreaks that we've had in Australia in recent years. And in our preparedness, we have been working with the poultry and the egg industries to do everything that we can do to mitigate against any incursions in our agricultural systems. And we continue to do that work with the states and territories and with the industry. 

JOURNALIST: Can you give Australians an idea of what that preparation, particularly in the poultry industries, looks like? 

COLLINS: It's about increasing our biosecurity systems and making sure that on-farm biosecurity systems are strong, making sure that everybody in the industry understands what they can do to mitigate and to make sure that their biosecurity around their farms is as strong as possible. I reiterate that these incursions are managed on ground by the states and territories and that we have had discussions at the state and territory level, both through Agriculture Ministers but also through departmental heads and Chief Vets around the country. We've also had our emergency response coordination meet. I think they've now met four times in the last week and a half in response to these suspected and detections, in terms of the wild migratory birds. 

JOURNALIST: It's the first case on the East Coast. Could you talk about that? That's disappointing and is it just a matter of time too before we see it in Tasmania? 

COLLINS: Well, it's certainly disappointing that we have had further suspected migratory birds that have suspect positives. What I can say though is that this is not unexpected given, of course, that we do know that these migratory birds can travel long distances. But I do want to reiterate that at this point in time they're single migratory birds and we have no evidence of any mass mortalities in any other birds or animals in Australia at this point in time. 

JOURNALIST: In terms of the investment that's sort of gone into it at the moment and given that we're seeing more and more cases, will any further investments be put in place for better protections? 

COLLINS: As I've indicated, we've already invested over $113 million and what this has done is meant that we're prepared and we're getting our biosecurity system up to where it needs to be, and the fact that we're getting these detections shows that our biosecurity system in Australia is strong and it is working as intended. The fact that we've got these detections early on is, I think, an incredible testament to the Australian public and I also want to thank them again. I always say biosecurity is a shared responsibility and Australians have truly been doing their bit, and they have been reporting the dead and sick birds, and they are being triaged appropriately by states and territories, and states and territories are obviously testing where appropriate. 

JOURNALIST: Are you concerned at all about panic buying amongst the public? 

COLLINS: What I would say is that there is no evidence in our poultry or agricultural systems. And I'd say to Australians, if you do see the dead birds, please do not touch them. Please record and report them. 

JOURNALIST: What happens if we do record a positive case in a poultry farm? I know it's a what-if scenario, but it does seem likely at some point. 

COLLINS: Well, what I would say is we've done everything we can do as a Federal Government, but also with the states and territories, and importantly with the egg and the chicken meat industry, to mitigate as much as we possibly can. We have learned a lot from the H7 outbreaks that we have dealt with and successfully eradicated in Australia previously. And as I've said, those early investments are really showing fruition in that we have detected these early, and that biosecurity can be strengthened in those areas, particularly around our poultry and our chicken meat systems. 

JOURNALIST: What would actually happen, though, if it was detected in a poultry farm? 

COLLINS: Well, as has occurred in the H7 outbreaks, we do deal with that. And it will be a decision of the emergency management response about whether or not we can eradicate, contain or whether we manage an outbreak. And those decisions will be made by experts. 

JOURNALIST: Is there any concern, I guess, not just looking at the poultry industry, we saw what happened on Heard Island with the seal mortality, is there any concern with other wildlife things like Tassie Devils that are scavengers? 

COLLINS: What I would say is, as part of our preparedness what we have done is we've also worked with wildlife experts and Minister Watt's department and Minister Watt and his Threatened Species Commissioner have been on the record around the management plans in relation to threatened or endangered species and their susceptibility to the H5 bird flu. So, we have been preparing and providing funding also for additional biosecurity. As an example, here in Tasmania at the Hobart Zoo and Aquarium, around some of those endangered or threatened species and also of course, at Raptor Refuge. So, we have provided some funding for that increased biosecurity in those captive populations of those threatened or endangered species. 

JOURNALIST: Are southern elephant seals susceptible to the virus and could we see an instance in which Neil could become infected? 

COLLINS: What I would say is that certainly this H5 bird flu can be found in mammals. So, certainly all animals, including humans, that are mammals, can get the H5 bird flu. But what I would say is that the risk to human health remains low, and certainly at this stage in Australia, where we're at is we've got single migratory birds and there is no detection or evidence of any mass mortalities in any other bird life or wildlife. 

JOURNALIST: If I could, could I ask a question about gun laws? 

COLLINS: Certainly 

JOURNALIST: The Tasmanian State Government has published draft legislation today regarding gun law reform. It does not include caps on the number of guns that people can have. Will the Federal Government still co-fund a buyback scheme in Tasmania given it will not adopt caps? 

COLLINS: Well, as you would be aware, certainly there has been a discussion at the National Cabinet in relation to strengthening gun laws right across the country. What I would say is that there is an expectation of the Federal Government that states and territories do, do what they signed up to and agreed to at National Cabinet. The other thing that I would say is that we do want the guns off our streets and we want to see as few guns on our streets as possible and certainly in terms of our gun laws, we know that the gun laws across the country are only as strong as the weakest state. So, we encourage the states and territories to do what they agree to do. 

JOURNALIST: So, you're still expecting caps on the number of guns that someone can have? 

COLLINS: Well, we're still in negotiations and discussions with states and territories but certainly we expect all states and territories to do what they agree to do. 

JOURNALIST: How would you say those negotiations over the buyback scheme are going? 

COLLINS: Well, certainly they're still in discussions. In terms of the information that we have today, they are still negotiating and still in discussions. But as I said, we want to see fewer guns on our streets. And in terms of our gun laws nationally, our gun laws will only ever be as strong as the weakest state. 

JOURNALIST: Speaking as the senior Federal Government Minister for Tasmania today, what's your response to the draft laws today? Are you disappointed? 

COLLINS: Well, as I said, in terms of the Federal Government, what we do is that we want to see fewer guns on our streets and what we want is for the states and territories to do what they agreed that they would do at National Cabinet. 

JOURNALIST: You were here when Port Arthur happened? 

COLLINS: And as I said, I think the expectation from the Australian community and the Tasmanian community is that we have fewer guns on our streets.