The Albanese government is seeking to bolster its response to H5N1 bird flu with an almost $150m funding boost as Australia deals with the first-ever mammal fatalities.<\/p>\n
Commonwealth, state, and territory governments will equally fund $125m for \u201cimmediate national emergency biosecurity response activities\u201d to the bird flu outbreak \u2013 which has intensified since June and which officials admit cannot be stopped \u2013 including surveillance and early detection, on-the-ground response capability, and programs targeting priority threatened species and conservation. <\/p>\n
A further $20m will also be spent boosting and extending on-the-ground action targeting the resilience of key native species and in specific locations, such as federally managed national parks. <\/p>\n
The government is seeking matched contributions from state and territory governments. <\/p>\n
However, Invasive Species Council chief executive Jack Gough slammed the $20m as \u201cless than 1 per cent of the bailout for Tomago\u201d aluminium smelter. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a deep understanding in the environment and (agriculture) departments and among the environment and (agriculture) minister of the scale of the crisis, the amount of devastation that we\u2019re going to see, and that we can\u2019t stop it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a knowledge that the solution is investing in the other things that protect wildlife, but the level of funding that\u2019s been committed is deeply unserious.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Gough travelled to Canberra earlier this month alongside BirdLife chief executive Kate Millar to lobby for a $200m resilience package, which would bolster measures such as pest control to ensure threatened native species survived not just the current wave of bird flu but any subsequent ones. <\/p>\n
He said that call \u201cwas always the floor \u2013 the minimum immediate investment needed to give our wildlife a fighting chance\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe reality is we will need much greater, sustained investment over the long term to help wildlife populations recover,\u201d Mr Gough said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a huge difference between responding to bird flu and making sure our wildlife can survive it. Surveillance, testing and carcass removal are essential, but they won\u2019t stop vulnerable wildlife populations being pushed towards extinction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Millar said the funding package showed the government was \u201casleep at the wheel when it comes to nature\u201d. <\/p>\n
The funding was \u201csending the message that we\u2019re powerless and we\u2019re not powerless\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many practical programs that essentially government has already invested in \u2013 that money has run out and we\u2019ve stopped doing the work,\u201d Ms Millar continued, citing pest control.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe birdwatching community is in every electorate. We have people that are from all walks of life who are passionate about birds. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think the Albanese government is underestimating how angry and how mobilised this community is going to get if they just continue to ignore the science and ignore their obligations to stand up and do what nature needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Funding for resilience programs is spread between the $125m and $20m packages, the latter of which is primarily under the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water. <\/p>\n
Asked about the funding being called for, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told ABC News Breakfast the government had already been investing, alongside the states and territories, in relation to protecting the habitat of threatened species. <\/p>\n
\u201cPart of our preparedness money has already gone to that, over $40m,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen first hand some of the preparedness and the biosecurity that we\u2019ve done, particularly for threatened species in captivity that are being kept in zoos across the country and wildlife parks, to make sure that we can do everything we can to protect them. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve also got, through (Environment) Minister (Murray) Watt\u2019s portfolio, the Saving Native Species Program, and as a government, we\u2019ve invested over $300m there.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, the amount of funding is certainly there \u2026 we\u2019ll continue to work with all of the experts to make sure that as a government, we\u2019re doing everything we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Collins said the total spend on bird flu preparedness was now more than $270m.<\/p>\n
Responding to questions, Senator Watt said the government \u201crecognises the scale of the challenge Australia now faces with the arrival of H5 bird flu\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Albanese government will be seeking matched contributions from states and territories for wildlife measures,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Watt said Australia\u2019s most at-risk species were \u201cin a better position to withstand and recover from the impacts of this virus\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said there were close to 70 on-the-ground projects under way across the country to boost species\u2019 resilience.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom supporting Kangaroo Island\u2019s Australian sea lions to the Christmas Island frigatebird \u2026 a further 31 threatened species are better protected with boosted biosecurity for captive breeding populations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis additional funding will support the expansion and extension of bird flu preparedness and response measures for H5 bird flu in wildlife across Australia, including commonwealth-managed national parks. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe will continue to work with all jurisdictions to ensure we\u2019re taking sensible actions to protect our at-risk bird and mammal species, informed by best available evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
The offices of Mr Watt and Ms Collins have been contacted for comment. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Albanese government is seeking to bolster its response to H5N1 bird flu with an almost $150m 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