AUSTRALIA'S foot and mouth disease response plan is strong, but there are just over a dozen tweaks that should be made to increase the system's ability to respond at speed and scale, a new government report has found.
Last month, a taskforce was formed to stress test the nation's response plans to exotic animal diseases, while also examining recent natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic and the United Kingdom's 2007 FMD outbreak to see what lessons could be learnt.
The taskforce also reviewed how the biosecurity plans interacted with the nation's emergency management system.
It released a report, making 14 recommendations, most of which revolved around streamlining coordination between state and federal governments, and strengthening potential pressure points, such as supply stockpiles or workforce shortages.
"Overall, the system is strong - in particular in prevention and mitigation - and the system is sound," the report stated.
"The taskforce heard that the scale and speed of response required in the case of an FMD or LSD incursion would be significant and therefore place considerable pressure on the system."
The recommendations also included developing a "just-in-case" policy response to second- and third-order consequences of an outbreak, and modelling of weather events that could blow mosquitos carrying lumpy skin disease into the country to improve the chances of early detection.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the government would accept all recommendations in-principle, noting some were directed to state and territory governments, which would be discussed at Friday's AgMin meeting of the nation's state Agriculture Ministers.
"Good governments plan for the best and prepare for the worst," Mr Watt said.
"The review also found that some of our biosecurity responses need to be updated to be current with the times and with the technology we now have.
"This work will now lead into and inform Exercise Paratus, a live boots-on-the-ground FMD-based scenario to be undertaken next year."
Jamieson Murphy
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Newcastle Herald news director and business reporter. Interested in any and all yarns. Whisper g'day mate to me at jamieson.murphy@austcommunitymedia.com.au
