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 collaborating with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to collate, analyse and report on AMR surveillance and monitoring data on antimicrobial use in Australian animals. This will include a pilot data platform and summary report for publication, likely in late 2026.
May 2026
A project to inform the development of a risk-based AMR surveillance system is nearing completion (see May 2025 update). Risk analysis for ten priority drug-bug-host combinations is close to completion, and next steps are being considered. This project is linked to activities 5.3.1 and 5.3.2 of the action plan.
Dairy Australia will soon finalise a project conducting antimicrobial resistance testing to estimate susceptibility profiles in E. coli (Escherichia) and Enterococcus species from dairy cattle. This work is linked to activity 5.3.1 and co-funded by DAFF.
A mid-term review of Australia’s Animal Sector AMR Action Plan 2023-2028 has commenced and is being led by CSIRO with support from DAFF. Outcomes will be summarised in a report and used to inform ongoing implementation of the action plan.
The Animal Health Committee (AHC) AMR Task Group’s workplan has been approved by AHC and will now be implemented.
February 2026
The AHC agreed at their September 2025 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. This was finalised at the meeting in early 2026. The three initial tasks given 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 support decisions on investment in actions to mitigate the risks of AMR in the animal sector.
A monitoring and evaluation framework for the animal sector AMR action plan was completed. This framework will be used to monitor progress towards the plan’s objectives and is linked to activity 1.3.
August 2025
Since May 2025, the AHC AMR Task Group has 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 are currently on track, and the first drafts outlined in the project plans are awaiting comments from the wider AHC AMR Task Group.
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 commissioned a project to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for Australia’s Animal Sector AMR Action Plan 2023 to 2028. This is linked to activity 1.3 and is scheduled to be completed by December 2025.
DAFF 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 links 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