AUSTRALIAN BIOSECURITY COOPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE - RISK ASSESSMENT PROJECT + AVIAN INFLUENZA WORKSHOP

21st – 22nd October 2009, Veterinary Science Conference Centre, The University of Sydney

An Avian Influenza expert consultation workshop was held at the Veterinary Science Conference Centre in Sydney. The forum, organized by Marta Hernandez-Jover and Jenny-Ann Toribio, was part of the ABCRC risk assessment project ‘Assessment of the risks to animal biosecurity associated with small landholders’. Marta and Jenny-Ann had the support during the day from Tony Martin from the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia.

The main objective of the workshop was to gain a better understanding of the potential animal biosecurity risks which are associated with non-commercial and commercial poultry operations in Australia and to obtain information on the pathways and likelihoods of introduction and spread of low and high pathogenic Avian Influenza. The forum was also a collaboration with Mark Burgman from the Australian Centre for Excellence for Risk Analysis and used the methodology for expert elicitation developed by Mark’s team. The forum had 17 participants, including government, industry and academic stakeholders and it was considered a success by the organizers and participants.