Key events
Environment Ministers to meet and discuss preparation for H5N1 strain
Work carried out by Wildlife Wellbeing Australia more than a year ago warned that the consequences of the H5N1 strain of bird flu on native birds could be catastrophic. Environmental organizations have been calling for additional funding for wildlife disease preparedness for many months.
The announcement (see previous post) comes ahead of a meeting later this week of environment and agriculture ministers at federal, state and territory levels to discuss preparedness for the deadly strain.
He Jack Gough, advocacy director for the Invasive Species Council welcomed the additional funding:
This is incredible news. The Albanian government is finally investing a significant amount in preparation for what could be the worst environmental disaster in Australia's history.
This level of funding will allow departments to get on with the task of adequately preparing to save wildlife and stop extinctions if the deadly bird flu reaches our shores.
We won't be able to prevent this disease from arriving, but we know that vaccination, removing carcasses and stopping disturbance can reduce mortality rates and save species such as the Tassie devil, sea lions and black swans.
Labor commits $95m to prepare for deadly bird flu
Lisa Cox
The Albanese government has announced an additional $95 million to prepare for the possible arrival of a deadly strain of bird flu that has been catastrophic for wildlife around the world.
Australia is the only continent that remains free of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza, but the possibility of its detection increases during the spring with the arrival of migratory shorebirds.
The rapid global spread of the strain has caused mass deaths of wild birds and some mammal species and has had significant impacts on industries such as poultry.
The government is committing an additional $37 million to initiatives to protect agriculture, including $15 million to increase biosecurity surveillance and response capacity and $10 million for nationally coordinated communications to ensure communities are informed and protected.
The new investment also includes a significant increase in funding of $35.9 million for environmental measures to “accelerate actions to protect threatened species and priority biodiversity.” Another $22.1 million is earmarked to strengthen public health preparedness.
He Minister of the Environment, Tanya Plibersek saying:
I am particularly concerned about the potential impact on species that are already at risk of extinction and are not in a position to cope with significant mortalities. This includes marine mammals such as the endangered Australian sea lion and seabirds such as the Christmas Island frigatebird, which has only one breeding site.
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Emily Wind
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The Albanese government has announced an additional $95 million to prepare for the possible arrival of a deadly strain of bird flu that has been catastrophic for wildlife around the world.
Australia is the only continent that remains free of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza, but the possibility of its detection increases during the spring with the arrival of migratory shorebirds. We will have more on this from Lisa Cox One moment.
He Australian Republican Movement is launching an ironic media campaign before king charlesTrump's visit to Australia – from October 18 to 23 – was described as the “farewell tour” of the British monarchy. The movement is preparing to take advantage of Carlos' visit to draw attention to the republican impulse with a campaign titled “Monarchy: Oz's Farewell Tour”, branded as the last tour of a rock band with printed t-shirts and posters. josh butler We will have more on this shortly.
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