Outcome 14: Biosecurity and Emergency Response > Performance Information

Result: Indicator not met.

The Department is developing a regulatory scheme for security sensitive biological agents. Part 3 of the National Health Security Act 2007 , which provides the legislative framework for the regulatory scheme, will commence on 29 January 2009, when facilities will start being registered.

The Department consulted extensively with the states and territories, and affected stakeholders, to establish a regulatory scheme that meets the requirements of the National Health Security Act 2007 and does not excessively increase the regulatory burden on stakeholders.

The Department also progressed development of the details of the regulatory scheme including the Regulations and Security Sensitive Biological Agents Standards which are the legislative instruments that underpin the National Health Security Act 2007 .

Result: Indicator met.

In 2007–08 The Department detected several outbreaks of communicable diseases, including:

• above normal influenza activity at the start of the influenza season in 2007;
• above normal arboviral (mosquito-borne disease) activity early in the season, during spring rainfall and flooding in central and northern areas of Australia; and
• measles, mumps and pertussis outbreaks and Haemophilus influenzae type b clusters, which were referred to relevant committees for enhanced monitoring.

The Department, in conjunction with the NSW Food Authority, also commenced a comprehensive national survey of the incidence of gastroenteritis and foodborne illness, including determining the prevalence of gastroenteritis in aged care settings.

Result: Indicator substantially met.

The Department worked with the states and territories through the Communicable Disease Network Australia, to action and contain all outbreaks including tuberculosis, polio, influenza, measles and dengue fever. This included contact tracing of potentially infected people to ensure that there was no further spread of communicable diseases in Australia.

The Department effectively liaised with international health agencies to contain communicable disease outbreaks and minimise the impact where there had been international travel.

OzFoodNet coordinated the investigation of 13 multi-jurisdictional outbreaks, including salmonellosis, listeriosis, and Shiga-toxin producing E. coli.

The Department consulted extensively with States and Territory Governments through the Australian Health Protection Committee and its supporting committees to revise the Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza. Through this process, jurisdictions made a significant contribution to the policy and operational aspects of the national health plan, and bolstered the health sector preparations and response to influenza pandemic. The revised Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza is expected to be endorsed by the Australian Health Protection Committee in late 2008.

Result: Indicator met.

The Department led the development of the National Environmental Health Strategy 2007–2012. All states and territories have agreed to the strategy through their membership of the Environmental Health Committee.

Through its support for Shared Responsibility Agreements, the Department also provided assistance directly to communities for projects in New South Wales and South Australia that included activities to improve environmental health outcomes.

Result: Indicator met.

Ministers were satisfied with the advice provided by the Department for Australian Government decision-making. This is on par with ministerial satisfaction in 2006–07.

Result: Indicator met.

The Department provided quality, relevant and timely advice to Government to inform decision-making. This included advice around pandemic and pre-pandemic influenza vaccines and their role in pandemic response, in order to determine strategies for future procurement such as replenish expiring items in the National Medical Stockpile through the 2008–09 Budget process, and long-term strategies for pandemic influenza vaccine production in Australia.

Result: Indicator not met.

Outcome 14 recorded a 2.6% underspend. The majority of the underspend was due to work for the Health Security and Counter Terrorism Response Capacity measure being superseded by a Council of Australian Governments decision.

Result: Indicator met.

The Department consulted extensively throughout the year, with other government agencies and State and Territory Governments, responsible bodies, and with international authorities, such as the World Health Organization. The Department also met and is continuing to work with private enterprise including general practitioners.