AUSTRALIA now has a "one-stop shop" for biosecurity training.
Plant Health Australia (PHA), the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Agriculture Victoria, the NSW Department of Primary Industries, and Animal Health Australia, have partnered to create the National Biosecurity Training Hub.
The hub is a response to demand for more training resources to support biosecurity preparedness and response activities and ensure that the necessary skills and knowledge are in place to respond to and manage biosecurity incidents.
"Pressure on Australia's biosecurity system requires an increased need for governments and industry to work together to ensure we can meet the rising demand for expertise and knowledge," said Susanna Driessen, PHA's general manager, emergency response.
"A collaborative approach necessitates the need for accessible online training resources to ensure we have the capacity and the capability to respond effectively."
The National Biosecurity Training Hub (the Hub) offers a central location with a database of biosecurity training resources to help reduce the duplication of effort and costs associated with developing and delivering biosecurity training.
The Hub features 64 online training courses with plans for continuous expansion.
It offers a central location with a database of biosecurity training resources to help reduce the duplication of effort and costs associated with developing and delivering biosecurity training.
The Hub unifies and streamlines training to facilitate national visibility of biosecurity-related training across government, industry and community in a single location.
PHA chief executive officer, Sarah Corcoran said Australia's biosecurity system is built on shared responsibility for shared benefit.
"This initiative demonstrates the power of partnerships in improving cross-sectoral national biosecurity capability and capacity to prepare us for future biosecurity risks," Ms Corcoran said.
- Organisations with biosecurity training packages and who are interested in contributing to the Hub are encouraged to make contact with PHA via nbth@phau.com.au