GRIEVANCE DEBATE

Mr GEORGANAS (Adelaide) (12:56): Today I rise to speak about a challenging and confronting issue for all of us here in Australia at the moment. As we know, Australia is now confronting a challenge that scientists, conservationists and governments have been preparing for over many years—and there has been a preparedness for this—and that is the arrival of H5 avian influenza, which is commonly known as bird flu.

It represents one of the most significant threats to our wildlife that we've faced for decades. It's not simply a disease that can affect our poultry industries and other bird industries; it's a global wildlife crisis. It's taking place globally.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 12:57 to 13:17 Mr GEORGANAS: As I was saying, bird flu is a serious disease, and it's a global wildlife crisis—a crisis that has already killed millions of wild birds and tens of thousands of wild mammals around the world. It's now on our doorstep. What makes this outbreak different from previous outbreaks is its scale, its persistence and its ability to infect a growing range of animals.

Since 2020, the virus has spread across continents, devastating bird populations and, increasingly, mammal populations as well, unfortunately. In South America alone, at least 667,000 wild birds and 52,000 wild mammals have died, though experts believe the true figure is far higher. The virus has reached Antarctica, Australia's sub-Antarctic territories and now, unfortunately, our mainland.

The consequences are becoming increasingly visible. South Australia, my home state—and the home state of the member for Boothby, who's here in the chamber with us—is unfortunately at the centre of Australia's current outbreak. I've been contacted by many constituents in my electorate who are concerned.

As of August this year, there have been 186 confirmed bird flu events recorded across Australia, and, out of those 186, 123 of those have occurred in my home state of South Australia. That means more than two-thirds of all confirmed detections nationally have occurred in our state. This is no longer a distant environmental issue; it's happening right here in my home state of South Australia— A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 13:19 to 1 6:00 Sitting suspended from 13:19 to 15:59