❓ Hon Amanda Dorn questions the government's preparedness for public handling of birds during a potential HPAI outbreak, focusing on animal welfare, public health risks, and funding for wildlife centres to manage euthanasia and disposal.

I refer to the Minister's letter dated 17 February 2026 acknowledging commitment to HPAI preparedness and its significant impact on wildlife, agriculture, and community. My questions address public health messaging and wildlife centre capacity supporting this preparedness. DPIRD advises the public not to handle birds during an HPAI incursion due to zoonotic risk and will not direct them to centres for humane euthanasia. However, experience demonstrates the public will continue presenting birds through lack of awareness or ignoring advice. Centres have repeatedly advised DPIRD and DBCA that without emergency funding they will close to avian admissions, yet birds will continue being left. Without emergency funding, two outcomes emerge creating serious animal welfare, biosecurity, and public health risks: birds die over 12 to 72 hours in containers; or the public takes birds into homes as interim care. Abandoned infected birds are a reasonable expectation during the first three to six months while messaging establishes a new operational normal. DPIRD and DBCA advise collection and disposal of deceased infected birds is not their responsibility. Centres support federal and state advice not to rehabilitate HPAI-infected birds but could oversee humane euthanasia and carcass disposal if funded, managing public health and biosecurity risks when birds are presented despite advice. This function requires government funding as it extends beyond the financial capacity and mandate of volunteer organisations, and I ask:(a) what is the Government's preparedness plan if members of the public present birds to wildlife centres despite public health advice not to handle them? In particular:(i) what measures are available to address animal welfare if centres refuse admissions to protect volunteers, leaving no viable pathway for safe management of potentially infected birds brought by the public to facilities; and(ii) what measures are available to address public exposure if birds are taken into homes as an interim care response;(b) what agency is responsible for collecting and disposing of deceased infected birds when DPIRD and DBCA advise this is not their responsibility; and(c) will the Minister provide emergency funding to enable wildlife centres to provide humane euthanasia and carcass disposal services during an HPAI outbreak:(i) if no to (c), why not? I refer to the Minister's letter dated 17 February 2026 acknowledging commitment to HPAI preparedness and its significant impact on wildlife, agriculture, and community. My questions address public health messaging and wildlife centre capacity supporting this preparedness. DPIRD advises the public not to handle birds during an HPAI incursion due to zoonotic risk and will not direct them to centres for humane euthanasia. However, experience demonstrates the public will continue presenting birds through lack of awareness or ignoring advice. Centres have repeatedly advised DPIRD and DBCA that without emergency funding they will close to avian admissions, yet birds will continue being left. Without emergency funding, two outcomes emerge creating serious animal welfare, biosecurity, and public health risks: birds die over 12 to 72 hours in containers; or the public takes birds into homes as interim care. Abandoned infected birds are a reasonable expectation during the first three to six months while messaging establishes a new operational normal. DPIRD and DBCA advise collection and disposal of deceased infected birds is not their responsibility. Centres support federal and state advice not to rehabilitate HPAI-infected birds but could oversee humane euthanasia and carcass disposal if funded, managing public health and biosecurity risks when birds are presented despite advice. This function requires government funding as it extends beyond the financial capacity and mandate of volunteer organisations, and I ask: (a) what is the Government's preparedness plan if members of the public present birds to wildlife centres despite public health advice not to handle them? In particular: (i) what measures are available to address animal welfare if centres refuse admissions to protect volunteers, leaving no viable pathway for safe management of potentially infected birds brought by the public to facilities; and (ii) what measures are available to address public exposure if birds are taken into homes as an interim care response; (b) what agency is responsible for collecting and disposing of deceased infected birds when DPIRD and DBCA advise this is not their responsibility; and (c) will the Minister provide emergency funding to enable wildlife centres to provide humane euthanasia and carcass disposal services during an HPAI outbreak: (i) if no to (c), why not?