Overview
Australia’s Animal Sector Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Plan 2023 to 2028 (the 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 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
August 2025
Since May 2025, the Animal Health Committee (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. A paper on the possible approaches to broader communication has been requested by the AHC Secretariat and will be presented at the next suitable AHC meeting.
Additionally, the AHC AMR Task Group is drafting a summary paper outlining the work that is being done to measure and report on antimicrobial usage in Australia. This is a topic that 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.
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 will co-chair the AMR Task Group. It will 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