Doorstop in Hobart, Tasmania

E&OE TRANSCRIPT 
DOORSTOP
HOBART  
THURSDAY, 27 AUGUST 2026

SUBJECTS: H5 bird flu, Nepal floods and landslides

JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: Good morning, everyone. As you would be aware, yesterday National Cabinet was briefed by Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Beth Cookson, in relation to the H5 bird flu and how it's making its way across the country and the national response from all of our Governments. Across the country, the latest figures indicate there have been 330 positive events. There have been over 29,000 calls to our national hotline. In South Australia we currently have 195 events, in Victoria 100, New South Wales 13, Tasmania 10, Western Australia 10, and Queensland has 2. With the spread of the H5 bird flu across the country, our Government is doing everything we can to help protect Australia's wildlife wherever possible, to protect our agricultural industries wherever possible, our communities and our economy from the effects of the H5 bird flu. That's why, following National Cabinet, our Government has committed further funding to continue safeguarding the country against the impacts of the H5 bird flu. This will bring our Government's total investment in terms of the bird flu response to more than $270 million. The additional $125 million will be made available from the Commonwealth to support immediate actions through the national emergency biosecurity response for the H5 bird flu. These activities will include vital surveillance, early detection, on-ground response capability, targeted initiatives for priority threatened species and conservation, as well as local community engagement. These activities are cost shared equally by the Commonwealth, the states and the territories. The Commonwealth will also fund a further $20 million to boost and extend the on-ground action for key native species and locations, emergency response activities for native wildlife, including Commonwealth-managed National Parks, and supporting citizen science work. My colleague, Minister Watt, will also be seeking matched contributions from states and territories for this new funding. It builds on the work that we've already undertaken over the several years by our Government, working with wildlife experts, with industry, and with the states and territories in preparing us for the H5 bird flu. I do want to reiterate that at this stage there's no evidence of any infection in our poultry or agriculture systems, and that the risk to human health remains low. Also, can I please thank the Australian public for the amazing work they're doing in terms of reporting dead or sick birds or other animals. I just reiterate though, please do not touch them, avoid contact, record what you see and go to birdflu.gov.au to report it. Thank you. Happy to take some questions.  

JOURNALIST: Did you expect – as you'd mentioned you've already invested over $100 million in efforts, did you expect that you'd have to go back and get all this money?

COLLINS: Well, I think what it shows is that the Federal Government and the states and territories are responding as needed. What we are doing is responding as per the agreement we have with the states and territories to this H5 bird flu incursion. We have been responsive, as I said the $113 million in preparedness. The additional $24.8 million, so half from the Commonwealth, the rest from the states and territories in terms of the initial on-ground response. And now we have this funding available for further on-ground response together with the states and territories, who will put in the extra money as required as well. What it shows is that our governments are working collectively together and we're working with wildlife experts, with industry, and we're taking the technical experts' advice of what is required on the ground.

JOURNALIST: How concerned is the Government about bird flu spreading into scavenging animals? And is there a plan in that space?

COLLINS: I think all Australians are becoming concerned about what they see in terms of the amount of birds and wildlife being impacted. But I would say this is sadly as expected. Whilst it is very concerning, it's not unexpected what we are seeing as this H5 bird flu does make its way across the country. And we have been upfront with the Australian people. We understand this can be distressing, but we are going to see more sick and dead birds and other wildlife, mammals particularly, being impacted by the H5 bird flu as it does make its way across the country.

JOURNALIST: I don't suppose you have any information about the 51 penguins that were found deceased on King Island? I think we're still yet to have an official diagnosis?

COLLINS: So we continue to work with the Tasmanian State Government in relation to the penguins around King Island. What I can say is that the state laboratory testing had some weak positives and we continue to work and wait for the CSIRO lab to do its important work in terms of confirmatory testing in relation to the penguins. Certainly, what we are seeing, as I said though, sadly, is more wildlife, particularly birds, being impacted, and other mammals now, marine mammals in South Australia.

JOURNALIST: Has the Invasive Species Council or any other groups made representations to you about the risk to the Tasmanian Devil in particular?

COLLINS: Well, obviously we have been working and investing in relation to threatened species, including the Tasmanian Devil. And what you've seen from our Government is those early investments, knowing that biosecurity is our strongest form of defence in improving, particularly the biosecurity around some of those threatened species that are in captivity. And you've seen that with direct funding that we've provided to Australian zoos and aquariums and wildlife centres right across the country to improve biosecurity around some of those threatened species.

JOURNALIST: Can you give us more of an update on the vaccine rollout?

COLLINS: So, we continue to work with the states and territories in relation to the vaccine rollout. Obviously, the managed penguin colony around Phillip Island in Victoria, they have started vaccinating. I've seen firsthand some of the black cockatoos in Western Australia in the Perth Zoo that have been vaccinated. They are preparing to vaccinate more birds at Perth Zoo. I've also seen firsthand in Adelaide, there's a request come through for Cleland Wildlife Park again to vaccinate some of their threatened bird species that they have in captivity. We know that New South Wales is preparing its list and conversations are continuing with the Queensland Government. So, we continue to work with every state and territory in relation to what the priorities are around the vaccine. But I would reiterate that biosecurity remains our strongest form of defence and that is where primarily our investments are going.

JOURNALIST: With that CSIRO facility, how is it coping with the amount of samples that it's receiving?

COLLINS: Well, obviously the CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness has been doing remarkable work. Australian scientists doing their very best there and supporting the country's response to the H5 bird flu. They have also been preparing there for the past two years, and they have arrangements in place in terms of dealing with the amount of samples that are coming through.

JOURNALIST: Is there another facility somewhere else that could help?

COLLINS: Well, it needs to be an accredited facility, it's a specialised facility. It's obviously around containment of disease and it's a special laboratory. But obviously we've also made sure that every state and territory is able to do the PCR testing for the H5 bird flu. So, what happens is the states and territories receive the calls, they're triaged, they determine what gets tested in terms of a PCR test, what is the most likely to be H5 bird flu. And then if they get a state positive, then confirmatory testing, where appropriate, is being done by the Commonwealth. But again, we rely on the technical experts and the technical experts are advising us now that not everything needs to be tested, both either at a state or a federal level. And that is why we're moving to events-based reporting. So, each event could be numerous amounts of deceased birds or wildlife.

JOURNALIST: You mentioned earlier that it's spread to other mammals. Is that more seals?

COLLINS: So, we have two confirmed cases, I understand, in South Australia into seals. And obviously now we have the suspected positive case in relation to the fox in South Australia. So, that is, obviously, the samples from that have gone to the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, the CSIRO lab.

JOURNALIST: Can I go to another issue?

COLLINS: Any other bird flu issues? Everybody's good? Yep.

JOURNALIST: Obviously, there's been devastating scenes unfolding in Nepal. What's your message to any Australians who might be concerned about their loved ones?

COLLINS: Australia has obviously passed on our deepest sympathies to those people who've been impacted by these floods in Nepal, Tibet and China. I know that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is working urgently to ascertain the safety of Australian citizens who may be in the area. We do know that there are a number of Australians in the area, and so we're working as quickly as we can to ascertain where they are and their safety at this point in time. And the other thing that I would say is if you have family or friends in the area, if you can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade consular 24-hour hotline and have a chat to them, they'll be able to give you some advice.

JOURNALIST: Hobart obviously has one of the largest Nepalese communities in the country. What's your message to some of the people here in the city this morning?

COLLINS: What I would say is that we understand that what we're seeing is pretty devastating. And obviously the Australian Government has extended our sympathies formally. Our Prime Minister has done that on the nation's behalf, and we understand that this will be quite shocking and devastating to them.