Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 8:02:50 to 8:05:33
The department outlines the $270 million commitment to strengthen H5 bird flu surveillance and preparedness, including specific allocations for agriculture, environment, and health portfolios.
Topics: Biosecurity, Government spending
Speakers: Justine Saunders, Senator Paul Scarr, Senator Glenn Sterle, Miss Victoria Anderson, Unknown Speaker
>> I hope you noted, Chair, I complimented you on your question. You raised
>> I just ignored it cuz you
>> you just ignored it. You just ignored me. It's good idea. Good strategy. Good
>> softening me up to something here.
>> Can I ask some questions about H5 bird
>> Can we just get a couple of extra people
>> Oh. >> Oh, we should share notes beforehand. I can steal your I can steal your >> Okay. Um, can I ask you what Commonwealth funding is currently available uh for H5 preparedness and response in 2026 27? So, as we're here today, how much funding is available?
Um, thanks and for your question. Justine Saunders, Deputy Secretary, Bio Security Operations Compliance Group. Um, thank you for your question. So, the Australian government's committed more than $270 million to strengthen H5 bird flu surveillance preparedness response capability. That includes more than 13 million committed since 2024 to strengthen surveillance preparedness and response capability across the agriculture, environment, health portfolios. Um, 13.4 4 million in Commonwealth contributions to cost share national H5 bird flu response activities under the emergency animal disease response agreement approved by the national management group in July 2026. Um and there's just been a small increase to that action. In fact in recent days I think it's I'll be corrected there's about additional 4 million um there. And then we have 125 million announced in August 26, 2026 to support immediate national emergency biocurity response activities for H5 bird flu which are cost shared equally by the Commonwealth, states and territories and that includes 15 million in Commonwealth contributions to cost share national H5 bird flu response activities under the national management agreement for H5 and wildlife. You've got the EADRA which is the response um that we deal with in regards to um uh agriculture in particular and then of course we have the the new arrangement we entered into to deal with H5 specifically relates to the wildlife aspects. Um then finally we have $20 million announced in August 2026 to boost and extend on ground action for key native wildlife species and locations, emergency response activities for native wildlife, including Commonwealth managed national parks and supporting citizen science work.