Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. About us
  3. News and media
  4. Three Chiefs Newsletter
  5. Investing in avian influenza preparedness

Back to news - AWE

  • Back to news

Investing in avian influenza preparedness

  • Newsletter
  • Animals
  • Biosecurity
8 October 2024

Australia remains the only continent free from high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b (H5N1 HPAI), with unprecedented global spread of this virus and impacts on the poultry industries and wildlife populations abroad in recent years.

Australia has a long history of having an enviable animal health status, supported by our robust approach to biosecurity. While there is no way to prevent new strains of this virus entering Australia with migratory wild birds or transmission between wild birds, the strong partnerships and collaboration that underpin our biosecurity system have never been so important.

Governments, industry and other key groups continue to work together to support Australia’s preparedness for H5N1 HPAI. This includes state and territory departments, Animal Health Australia, Wildlife Health Australia and the poultry industries, as well as cross-sectoral collaboration. In the Australian Government coordination is occurring across the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Department of Health and Aged Care, and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and National Emergency Management Agency in recognition of the complexity involved in responding effectively to an emergency animal disease that has agricultural, environment and public health implications.

In recognition of the threat posed by H5N1 HPAI, the Australian Government is investing more than $100 million to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and response capability. On 14 October 2024, $95 million was announced, which is in addition to the $6.9 million announced in July 2024, to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and response capability in alignment with a ‘One Health’ approach that recognises the connection between animal, human and environmental health.

Of the $95 million, the Australian Government is committing:

  • $37 million over 2 years to protect Australian agriculture by enhancing national coordination of response arrangement and communications, strengthening surveillance and boosting biosecurity capacity and capability across the production sector and environmental biosecurity.
  • $35.9 million over 2 years to boost and accelerate H5N1 HPAI preparedness planning and protective action by using the best data available to target actions for our most at-risk species and important natural places.
  • $22.1 million over 2 years to manufacture and store pandemic influenza vaccines that will better prepare Australia to respond quickly to a potential influenza pandemic.

The significant funding commitment for H5N1 HPAI preparedness builds on the suite of preparedness activities already underway. This includes extensive work the Animal Health Committee and poultry industries have been undertaking to manage the biosecurity risks and bolster Australia’s preparedness against H5N1 HPAI, as well as Wildlife Health Australia’s work to improve early detection and reporting capacity.

Activities funded by the Australian Government will be coordinated and led by the Australian Government HPAI Preparedness Taskforce. Key priorities of the Taskforce include:

  • negotiating a national agreement to manage governance and cost-sharing for wildlife responses under a ‘One Health’ approach, recognising the cross-sectoral nature of this disease threat
  • developing a national response framework that incorporates a comprehensive response plan and principles for managing mass mortality events in wildlife
  • working to advance coordinated and integrated communications to support preparedness and response efforts nationwide.

Biosecurity is a shared responsibility, and the Australian Government continues to collaborate with key stakeholders to enhance preparedness and strengthen response capability for H5N1 HPAI.

If you see sick or dead birds, do not touch them. Instead, take photos or a video, record your location and call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

For more information about HPAI and Australian Government preparedness activities, visit birdflu.gov.au

Image of a curlew sandpiper on a beach
Curlew Sandpiper
Copyright shared Department of the Environment and creator photographer Brian Furphy for unlimited time with conditions

Read more articles from the Three-Chiefs Newsletter

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Copy link

Related

Image of a group of people sitting in a room, watching a presentation on a screen

Human Animal Spillover and Emerging Diseases Scanning (HASEDS) Group

  • Newsletter
  • Animals
06 March 2025
Image of 2 ducks, one in the foreground, one in the background

Pest profile: Duck viral enteritis

  • Newsletter
  • Animals
03 March 2025
Image of a group of people standing around a tree, with one person demonstrating how to hang a flu trap - cut off image

Australia’s focus on regional work in animal and plant health

  • Newsletter
  • Plants
03 February 2025
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 29 November 2024

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram