Overview
Australia’s Animal Sector Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Plan 2023 to 2028 (action plan) aligns with the 7 objectives of Australia’s National AMR Strategy – 2020 and Beyond. It also lines up with the priority activities of the One Health Master Action Plan for Australia’s National AMR Strategy 2020 and Beyond (One Health AMR Master Action Plan).
The action plan provides Australia’s terrestrial and aquatic animal health and industry sectors with agreed priority activities to implement the AMR strategies.
Project Lead: Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
Project Contact: amr@aff.gov.au
Project Status: Active
Project date: Commenced September 2023
Objective alignment:
- 4 – Manage the risk of antimicrobial resistance.
Activity alignment:
- 4.1 – Implement AMR activities as identified in the One Health AMR Master Action Plan and Australia’s Animal Sector AMR Action Plan 2023 to 2028.
Project updates
Future Actions
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is continuing to work with a supplier to identify priorities to inform the development of a risk-based AMR surveillance system. Ten drug-bug-host combinations have been identified and will undergo hazard analysis to identify where AMR surveillance resources should be focused. This project is linked to activity 5.3.1 and activity 5.3.2 of the action plan.
We expect to hold a mid-term review of the action plan during 2026. Stakeholders will be invited to participate.
February 2026
The Animal Health Committee (AHC) agreed at their September face-to-face meeting to continue the AMR Task Group for another 12 months. The task group met in December 2025 to begin drafting the workplan for the next 12 months, which will be finalised at the next meeting in early 2026. The three initial tasks assigned to the group have been completed.
DAFF has funded the development of a business case for sustainable funding to undertake national AMR priority actions and initiatives in animal health (Activity 1.1). The business case will be completed in June 2026 and will inform decisions on future investment in actions to mitigate the risks of AMR in the animal sector.
A monitoring and evaluation framework for the action plan has been completed. This framework will be used to monitor progress towards the plan’s objectives and is linked to Activity 1.3 of the action plan.
August 2025
Since May 2025, the AHC AMR Task Group continued action on 3 tasks in the action plan that require government leadership:
- Creating a communication plan to help government stakeholders respond to questions regarding AMR in animals.
- Developing AMR surveillance policy advice to guide establishment of a national animal AMR surveillance system.
- Consolidating a list of prohibited antimicrobials for use in animals, based on current regulations and recommendations, to guide discussions and future action on nationally consistent regulations.
Project plans were on track, and the first drafts outlined in the project plans awaited comments from the wider AHC AMR Task Group. A paper on the possible approaches to broader communication has been requested by the AHC Secretariat, for presentation at the next suitable AHC meeting.
Additionally, the AHC AMR Task Group was drafting a summary paper outlining the work being done to measure and report on antimicrobial usage in Australia. This topic is gaining global attention, as many countries are publishing their methodologies and data.
May 2025
Since October 2024, the AHC AMR Task Group prioritised action on 3 tasks in the action plan that require government leadership.
Project plans were developed for each action.
DAFF has commissioned a project to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the action plan. This was linked to Activity 1.3 and was completed in December 2025.
DAFF has also commissioned a project to identify surveillance priorities to inform the development of a risk-based AMR surveillance system. This project will identify priority drug-bug-host combinations where AMR surveillance resources should be focused and is linked to Activity 5.3.1 and Activity 5.3.2.
February 2025
Following endorsement of the AMR Task Group’s terms of reference, the group held its first meeting. The task group identified 3 key deliverables for the first 12 months of operation:
- a national AMR communications plan for the animal sector
- policy recommendations for national animal health AMR surveillance
- recommendations for a list of antimicrobials to be prohibited for use in animals.
November 2024
In September 2024, AHC set up an AMR Task Group to identify national priority activities in the action plan that require government leadership. The group will also consider how to best provide future leadership for those activities.
New South Wales and Victoria agreed to co-chair the AMR Task Group, to operate for an initial period of 12 months.
November 2023
The action plan was published in September 2023.
It was launched via a webinar in October 2023.
See more
Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy – 2020 and Beyond
Australia’s Animal Sector Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan 2023 to 2028
One Health AMR Master Action Plan
Tags: Active, Objective 4