Australia is the last continent on earth to be affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. It has been responsible for the deaths of an estimated 280 million birds around the world, many threatened or vulnerable. In addition, many species of mammals have also been affected, with tens of thousands of deaths (Dept of Climate Change, 2024).
Exercise Volare was an exercise of numerous stakeholders to improve preparedness for H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) clade 2.3.4.4b (further referred to as H5 HPAI) in Australian wildlife.
A One health approach included collaboration between wildlife, livestock industries and health in an effort to improve preparedness and manage HPAI outbreaks in Australia.
Visit this DAFF website to view the webinar (1:25:41), and get information about the speakers and links to resources.
The broad objectives of the exercise were:
- Raise participant awareness of the HPAI situation globally, and the risks and likely consequences of H5 HPAI entering Australia.
- Explore roles and responsibilities, and authority of Australian and jurisdictional government agencies in a coordinated response to a detection of H5 HPAI in wildlife in Australia.
- Explore public information and crisis communication:
- Identify possible community concerns to a detection of H5 HPAI in Australia, actions to mitigate.
- Explore public and sector-specific stakeholder information needs, roles and responsibilities to achieve unity of effort.
- Technical response to detection of H5 in various animal species.
The exercise has been successful example of collaboration between agriculture, environment, health and emergency management portfolios at the national level, as we take a whole of government and ‘One Health’ approach to this cross-sectoral threat.
Webinar Facilitator and Presenters
- Dr Brant Smith – First Assistant Secretary – Biosecurity Animal, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Justine Saunders APM – Deputy Secretary, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
- Dr Beth Cookson – Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
- Joe Buffone PSM – Emergency Management and Response Group, Deputy Coordinator-General
- Dr Tiggy Grillo – IUCN SSC Wildlife Health Specialist Group Co-Chair
- Dr Simone Vitali – Program Manager: Emergencies, Wildlife Health Australia
- Dr Bertie Hennecke – Australian Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
- Carmel Curran – Assistant Secretary – Communication and Media, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Dr Guy Weerasinghe – NAQS Technical Manager for Animal Health, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry
- Fiona Fraser – Threatened Species Commissioner, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Sophie Bass – Wildlife Ecologist, Department of Environment and Water – South Australia
- Professor Paul Kelly – Chief Medical Officer , Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Link: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/policy/emergency/exercises/volare#exercise-volare–webinar