Tuesday, 11 August 2026

 Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (13:27): (1398) My question is to the Minister for Environment, and it is in regard to the response to the long-feared arrival of H5 bird flu in Victoria. I would like to ask the minister to outline how the government is seeking to minimise the death toll this virus poses to our wildlife and in particular if the minister is aware of whether the proposed job cuts at Zoos Victoria still pose a threat to the ability of the marine response unit to respond to sick wildlife and contain the spread of this massive biosecurity risk.

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (13:27): Ms Copsey, I thank you for your question. At the outset I hope that members were able to take up the opportunity to be briefed formally yesterday by the chief vet, and if they were unable to do so, we are happy to rearrange some briefings so they are able to speak to Graeme Cooke in his capacity in that important role. He brings a wealth of experience, along with other experts that have been able to be prepared for the inevitable arrival of bird flu H5 to Australia, given the experience and connections across the rest of the world.

Of course we know that people are concerned about it. I am working closely with my colleague Minister Settle in her capacity as Minister for Agriculture. As H5 has been detected – and we know that it is moving across – we have ground teams, aerial surveillance, increased field operations and strengthened response capability. I have been working closely with the Commonwealth since coming into the role, getting briefed on the preparedness, and I have asked them to help secure urgent access to vaccines, particularly in order to better prepare for the protection of the little penguins on Phillip Island, and I am in discussions around any other species that may be appropriate in that regard. Today the Commonwealth have announced that they are beginning to roll out vaccinations to the state. That is a huge step forward, and I will have more to say on that in the coming days. We have been able to also provide more support for our wildlife carers, and I have announced some grants for Wildlife Victoria and wildlife organisations as well as regular information, webinars and PPE provisions so that they are well equipped to deal with any instances of unwell birds in particular.

In relation to your question on zoos, they are working to monitor and limit the spread of H5 to help manage the risk for animals across the zoos that we have in our state. They are connected in with other zoos in the nation. Again, they are well connected, with international connections and having learned from experiences in other countries. In preparation for H5, DEECA have worked with Zoos Victoria experts and analysed data to identify Victorian species at increased risk of extinction should they be exposed to H5 bird flu. A lot of that has been focused on the orange-bellied parrot, the plains-wanderer, the helmeted honeyeater and the regent honeyeater.

Ms Copsey, this is an emerging issue. We are well prepared, and there will be information. Anything that comes to my attention I am very keen to make sure is in the public domain as quickly as possible. There is a lot of interest and concern, and I want to make sure people are as informed as possible. Again, if you were not able to attend the briefing yesterday with Graeme Cooke, I will make sure that we put another one on very soon.

 Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (13:30): Thank you, Minister, for your response. Minister, will the Carroll Labor government undermine the bird flu containment response by leaving the door open to a duck-shooting season in March, with all of the disruption of habitat, likely close contact with infected animals and dispersal of native birds across the state that that entails, or will you finally act on the native bird hunting inquiry recommendation to ban duck shooting in Victoria?

The PRESIDENT: I am not too sure how that links with the substantive question and the answer, but I will call the minister to answer as she sees fit.

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (13:31): Ms Copsey, you have managed to fit about four questions into your questions today. I have no doubt that the H5 outbreak has the potential to be devastating to a number of bird populations in particular, but I am not in a position to be pre-empting expert advice or speculating about future management decisions in relation to your supplementary question, which was loosely connected to your first question. I am very happy to continue this conversation as this very serious issue evolves.

The PRESIDENT: Before I call the minister, I acknowledge in the gallery former member of Parliament and minister Heidi Victoria.