In June, Dr Beth Cookson (Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer), Dr Gabrielle Vivian-Smith (Australia’s Chief Plant Protection Officer) and Dr Bertie Hennecke (Australia’s Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer) participated in the inaugural One Health Symposium in Canberra.
Hosted by the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in partnership with the Australian Government’s One Health Network, the symposium was part of a broader mission to strengthen One Health approaches nationwide. The One Health approach recognises the interconnectedness between the health of humans, animals, plants and our shared environment.
The Australian Government’s One Health Network, a joint initiative established in 2024, includes:
- The interim Australian CDC, within the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Network aims to improve communication, collaboration, and coordination between human, animal, plant and environmental health across federal government sectors.
The symposium brought together stakeholders from the animal, human, plant, and environmental biosecurity sectors, and from government, research and non-government organisations, to explore the current state and future needs for One Health systems in Australia.
The Three Chiefs participated in a panel session titled ‘Creating a One Health Environment’, alongside Ms Carita Davis (interim Australian CDC), and Mr Sean Starmer (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), with a recorded opening address from Professor Michael Kidd, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer. The discussion focused on turning One Health theory into action, with our leaders sharing their thoughts and experiences working on One Health issues.
On the first day, participants worked in small groups to develop a One Health vision tree, with key themes shared with attendees on the second day. The One Health Network will continue working with participants on a shared vision statement that captures these themes and guides future collective action.
To learn more about the Australian Government’s One Health approach, visit the interim Australian CDC website.
