Australia’s government announced on Sunday an additional A$95 million ($64.13 million) investment to protect the country from a destructive strain of bird flu that has devastated bird and mammal populations worldwide, though it has not yet reached Australia.
Oceania remains the last region free of the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza, which has killed hundreds of millions of birds and tens of thousands of mammals since emerging in Asia, Europe, and Africa in 2020. The virus has severely impacted agriculture and littered coastlines with dead animals.
Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry Minister Julie Collins emphasized the importance of the new funding, which adds to over A$1 billion already dedicated to strengthening Australia’s biosecurity.
“This strain of avian influenza presents a real and significant threat to Australia’s agriculture sector,” Collins stated.
While Australia’s geography offers some protection, being off the migration paths of large birds like geese, the virus has drawn closer, with cases detected in Indonesia in 2022 and Antarctica last year. Scientists warn of increased risk from smaller migratory shore birds expected in the Southern Hemisphere’s spring, from September to November.
Earlier this year, Australia faced three separate bird flu outbreaks involving different strains, none of which were the H5N1 variety. Collins highlighted that these incidents underscore the critical need for continued investment in national preparedness.
