Australia had years to prepare for the arrival of bird flu. The deadly, highly transmissible H5N1 strain emerged in late 2020 in Asia, before spreading to every other continent bar Australia.
After the first case was confirmed in Western Australia on June 19, federal Environment Minister Murray Watt claimed the nation was well prepared. Preparations include A$47 million of on-ground action such as improving habitat and controlling introduced species, as well as boosting surveillance. The virus is now spreading domestically, with mass mortality events being detected.
