Australian Government delivering more than $100 million to fight avian influenza

The Australian Government is investing an additional $95 million to further prepare and protect the nation against a strain of avian influenza that carries significant risks for our agricultural industries, our unique wildlife and the national economy.

Australia is the only continent that remains free from high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, but its rapid global spread has led to significant impacts in poultry, wild birds and some mammal species, including respiratory illness, reduction in egg production and sudden death.

Today’s announcement will see:

• $37 million invested in initiatives to protect Australian agriculture, including:
  • $15 million to increase national biosecurity response capability and improve surveillance with key partners including the states and territories
  • $5 million to boost biosecurity and scientific capability, including procuring vaccines for use in some captive threatened bird species
  • up to $10 million invested in nationally coordinated communications to ensure the Australian community is informed, prepared and protected
  • $7 million invested to enhance wild bird surveillance activities through Wildlife Health Australia, to improve early detection and reporting capacity.
• $35.9 million will be invested to boost environmental measures and accelerate protective action for threatened species and priority biodiversity. That work includes supporting state and territory governments to boost preparedness planning for our most vulnerable species and places, and key conservation partners to improve protections for precious captive populations of threatened species.  
• $22.1 million to strengthen public health preparedness by increasing the number of ready-to-use pandemic flu vaccines in the National Medical Stockpile. While human infections with avian influenza viruses are rare, the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control is focused on ensuring Australia is as prepared as possible for any potential case of human infection.