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As we begin World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, the Morrison Government continues to push forward the essential work required to protect Australians from antimicrobial resistant disease.
Each year, approximately 290 Australians die as a result of infection with some form of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said that while COVID-19 has been a large part of Australia’s national health conversation in recent years, the Government continues to actively monitor the threat of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes becoming resistant to antimicrobial treatment— known as antimicrobial resistance or AMR.
“AMR is an issue of increasing concern not just in Australia, but around the world,” Minister Hunt said.
“The Australian Government has already committed $22.5 million to understand and fight AMR, preventing the outbreak of resistant superbugs, and evaluating the use of antimicrobial, antibiotic and antifungal medicines in human and animal health.
“Over the coming 3 years, we are investing more than $14.2 million in surveillance of   antimicrobial resistance in human health in Australia, which will ensure we detect any emerging threats from AMR microbes, mainly bacteria, as early as possible.
“We will also gauge the prescription and usage of antimicrobial treatments across the country to help ensure that they are being used appropriately, and not in a way which may fuel the evolution of AMR superbugs.”
Australians are high users of antibiotics, with half of Australians obtaining one or more courses of antibiotics on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme each year.
As well as human health, AMR is a major issue for animal health, agriculture, food safety and the environment. It needs to be targeted through a holistic and multisectoral approach – referred to as One Health – as it recognises the interconnectedness between all these sectors.
Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, said that the interconnectedness between the health of people, animals, and the environment highlights the need to tackle the challenges of AMR across all sectors.
“Antimicrobials enter the environment every day and can accumulate over time, leading to either harmful effects or increases in AMR,” Minister Ley said.
“One priority of the One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, of which I am a member, is better understanding of environmental pathways to the development and transmission of AMR.
“Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2020 & Beyond reflects the commitment from the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to address the threat that AMR poses across different sectors, including Australia’s unique and diverse environment.
“Our government continues to work to bring together a One Health antimicrobial resistance surveillance system to provide a holistic view of AMR, including human health, animal health, agriculture, food and the environment.”
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia, David Littleproud, said animal health and welfare were important issues to keep in mind when thinking about AMR.
“The world’s population is growing, and with that comes an increased demand for high-quality animal protein, such as milk and eggs,” Minister Littleproud said.
“Antimicrobial agents can support food safety and global food security, but must be used appropriately and only when necessary, to ensure they remain effective, protecting Australia’s livestock and all Australians.”
“We know all too well after the past 2 years, that animal disease can become a risk to human health, and contributing to the emergence of AMR bacteria in animals, including our livestock is a risk right around the world.”
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is marked from 18–24 November to draw attention to this growing threat posed by AMR. It is organised by the AMR Tripartite organisations – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Work to align regulation across the aged care, disability and veterans’ care sectors will significantly improve quality and safety for participants and consumers.
The Morrison Government is committed to improving protections for Australians living in residential aged care or receiving aged care services at home, those receiving veterans’ in-home care and assistance, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants, and those who receive other disability services.
The changes will make it easier for service providers and staff to work seamlessly across different types of care and support, providing greater choice of services for consumers.
A consultation paper, Aligning regulation across aged care, disability support and veterans’ care, has been released today to inform the development of a roadmap towards better alignment.
Consumers and participants, their families and carers, workers and providers, and sector peak bodies are invited to have their say.
Similar services are provided across these sectors – approximately 36 per cent of aged care providers also operate in disability support or veterans’ care – yet there are separate and overlapping regulatory requirements.
Better alignment of regulation will cut red tape and make it easier for service providers and workers to deliver the highest levels of care and support. This will be achieved while also ensuring appropriate protections for Australians receiving these services remain firmly in place.
Any regulatory changes will complement the Government’s broader reform of the aged care system to ensure high quality, safe care services are delivered, that provide dignity and respect to our senior Australians.
The Government has already committed to align important aspects of regulation in the short term, such as the development of a single Code of Conduct for these sectors, and introducing consistent screening of workers. A roadmap will be developed for medium to longer term regulatory alignment for consideration by Government.
The Department of Health, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission are working together to deliver the care and support regulatory alignment reform program.
Workshops exploring regulatory alignment opportunities will be held from mid-November through to December 2021. Consultation includes opportunities to submit a written submission and/or participate in online surveys and focus groups.
For more information and to have your say as part of the consultation process, go to the Consultation Hub.
More information about the alignment of regulation reform program and the consultation paper is available at health.gov.au.

The Australian Government has implemented additional measures to protect remote communities during the current COVID-19 outbreak in the Northern Territory.
As Minister for Health and Aged Care, I have made a determination under section 477 of the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act 2015 to prevent a person from entering and/or exiting the Robinson River and surrounding homelands, which is aimed at stopping any further spread of COVID-19 in the community.
These measures are based on the medical advice from the acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sonya Bennett. The implementation of these measures will help to contain the current outbreak by ensuring that a person will only enter and/or leave the area if necessary, and for essential purposes.
These measures will help to prevent and contain the current COVID-19 outbreak in the Robinson River, and will assist in preventing the emergence, establishment and spread of the disease to neighbouring remote communities in the Northern Territory.
The Determination was requested by the Northern Territory Government to supplement restrictions they have also implemented and is supported by the Northern Land Council and the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the Northern Territory (AMSANT).
The implementation of these measure follows extensive engagement with the Northern Territory Government and consultation with and support from Federal MPs and representatives of the affected communities.
The approach is consistent with extensive planning undertaken by the Australian Government in partnership with the Norther Territory Government, the Aboriginal Advisory Group on COVID-19, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), Northern Territory Land Councils, the National Indigenous Australians’ Agency (NIAA) and the Aboriginal community-controlled health sector.
The Australian Government’s response was also:

• informed by the predictive modelling on an outbreak in a remote community by the Kirby Institute and University of Melbourne and modelling looking at an outbreak in a remote community in the context of vaccination by the Doherty Institute
• recognised in the Management Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Populations; and
• outlined in the Communicable Disease Network Australia’s National Guidance for Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities for COVID-19.

All residents of Robinson River are encouraged to continue to follow their local Health Department directions, to be tested in the coming days and to book their vaccinations.
The measures are being implemented based on the best public health advice and will be in place only as long as necessary to keep the community safe. The measures will be in place until 6pm, 18 November 2021.

Marking one year since the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global commitment to eliminate cervical cancer, the Australian Government is investing $5.8 million to back our pledge to be the first nation in the world to achieve this goal.
The National Cervical Screening Program encourages a simple five-yearly test (changed from every two years in 2017) that checks for HPV – a common infection that causes almost all cervical cancers – before any cancerous cells develop.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said this program had been a game-changer in Australia’s efforts to eliminate cervical cancer.
“In the program’s 30 years it has halved the incidence of cervical cancer and mortality in Australia,” Minister Hunt said.
“We however do not rest on our laurels, there is more work to be done. Our Government continues to work to ensure as many people as possible engage with the support available, particularly by ensuring access and equity in under-screened groups.”
“The funding announced today will support the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer to collaboratively develop a National Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy by the end of 2022 to help us ensure our goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health concern is met by 2035.”
The Strategy will require coordinated efforts throughout the health system to overcome cultural and structural barriers to cervical cancer prevention programs and treatment, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other under-screened populations.
The funding will also support Australia’s largest clinical trial, the Compass Trial, which will produce world-first evidence on the interactions between HPV vaccination and HPV-based screening. The trial will inform improvements to the National Cervical Screening Program to ensure participants continue to receive the right care.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Women, Marise Payne, said Australia was committed to the WHO’s elimination strategy by championing and leading the resolution on the Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer.
“We are committed to continued support for this and other global initiatives on cervical cancer elimination,” Minister Payne said.
“Australia’s HPV vaccination program and National Cervical Screening Program are world-leading and have put us on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035.”
Developed at the University of Queensland, the introduction of the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) onto Australia’s National Immunisation Program was a world first, and will help to protect young people from getting a range of HPV-related cancers and diseases, such as cervical cancer. Since 2012-13, we have spent close to $386 million on HPV vaccines and distributed around 6.4 million doses.
The introduction in July 2022 of self-collection for cervical screening tests, announced on 8 November 2021 is expected to encourage many more women to take the test by making the process easier, more comfortable and less invasive.
Australia will be one of the first countries in the world to offer the ‘game-changing’ self-collect option through our National Cervical Screening Program.
Ensuring access and equity in the prevention, early detection and treatment of cervical cancer will be central to reach the WHO elimination targets in Australia.

Updated guidelines to assist Australian universities strengthen their resilience to foreign interference risks, while protecting students, staff and research that contribute to Australia’s prosperity, have been released today.
The updated guidelines will better address how foreign interference threats have evolved since the initial guidelines were released in 2019, and will assist universities to better identify and respond to the risk of foreign interference.
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said espionage and foreign interference posed a challenge to Australia’s democracy, but that the Morrison Government would continue to protect Australia’s institutions, including our universities.
“These updated guidelines are more important than ever – with international students set to return to many Australian jurisdictions soon, we need to ensure our University campuses embody the free, open, transparent debate that is so vital to an Australian education, and to our way of life,” Minister Andrews said.
“The guidelines will protect universities, students and researchers from hostile foreign actors and intelligence services; who have been known to target sensitive research, muzzle debate, and intimidate foreign students.”
Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge said the updated guidelines are more specific, measurable and will support greater consistency of actions to counter foreign interference across the university sector.
“Australia is home to some of the world’s leading academics who are producing world-class research. These guidelines will ensure our researchers are protected,” Minister Tudge said.
“We have seen that Australian universities are a target for foreign interference with foreign actors using sophisticated and deceptive means to steal Australian research and intellectual property.
“The Morrison Government takes research integrity very seriously and will continue to prevent efforts to steal information and interfere in our universities.”
More information is available at https://www.dese.gov.au/guidelines-counter-foreign-interference-australian-university-sector.