Tuesday, 11 August 2026

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (13:41): Building on my discussion with Ms Copsey, I would like to update the house on my visit to the state biosecurity operations centre in Attwood. It is an ops centre with a dedicated control centre with the capacity to locate all state operational functions within one site. Response activities are obviously underway, as we were discussing earlier, in relation to the response to the H5N1 bird flu.

This is the control centre where coordination of targeted surveillance and planning for how we can best protect our most vulnerable wildlife is operationalised. We know we cannot stop H5 bird flu, but what we have done, knowing it was coming, is we have invested $130 million since 2023 to strengthen biosecurity preparedness and emergency animal disease capability. Such things as a mobile command centre and a suite of field equipment are ready to be deployed. Agricultural and environmental experts are conducting targeted surveillance, testing, analysing samples, monitoring vulnerable species, identifying high-risk locations and providing information and advice to industry and volunteer organisations. Early reporting does make a real difference. As a community we are asking people if they come across a sick or dead bird or other wildlife to not touch it. Report it to the emergency animal disease hotline. That number is 1800 675 888.

I would like to extend my appreciation for the time that Charlotte, Darrin, Graeme and Julie at Attwood took to take me through the facility and give me insight into their critical work. There are a lot of agricultural experts and Agriculture Victoria staff out there, as well as those from the environment portfolio. There are a lot of people that are spending countless hours and working tirelessly to best manage and care for both our native wildlife and other animals from the ag portfolio.