Welcome to the first National Biosecurity Response Team (NBRT) newsletter for the 2025–28 tenure period.
We’re excited to welcome a lot of fresh faces to the cohort, with strong representation across all jurisdictions and sectors. The group brings a wealth of experience — so take every opportunity to learn from each other and build connections.
We look forward to supporting your journey and sharing updates as the program progresses.
Following a comprehensive program review in early 2024, the NBRT has introduced a refreshed structure for the 2025–28 tenure period.
These changes are designed to strengthen national capability, foster collaboration, and ensure the program remains responsive to evolving biosecurity needs.
Here’s what’s new:
These updates reflect the NBRT’s commitment to continuous improvement and national collaboration. You can read the full details of the 2024-28 Arrangements on the NBRT portal.
It’s been a busy and productive start to the 2025–28 NBRT tenure period. Here are some key highlights from the year so far.
The new cohort was welcomed through a virtual induction webinar hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and Animal Health Australia (AHA). The session introduced members to the program’s purpose and governance and set the tone for collaboration and capability building across jurisdictions.
Held from 12–16 May in Sydney, the inaugural NBRT professional development (PD) week was the first in-person event for the cohort. Seventy members from across all jurisdictions joined alumni, industry reps, and advisory group members for a week focused on leadership in biosecurity response. The program featured panel discussions, practical activities, and industry insights, laying a strong foundation for future development. The feedback from members was extremely positive and we are looking forward to bringing everyone together again for PD week in 2026!
Seven members were supported to attend third-party professional development opportunities under program funding in 2025- three at the Emergency Media and Public Affairs (EMPA) Conference on 7–9 June and four at the Australian and New Zealand National Council for fire and emergency services (AFAC) Conference in 26–28 August.
What members had to say about the EMPA conference:
‘EMPA is an excellent organisation providing highly relevant opportunities to emergency response communicators. [it] was a really well-curated conference, with many learnings and much inspiration for public information practitioners’
‘The conference exceeded my expectations in terms of valuable learning experiences- including the role of AI in today’s workplace and how AI can be used to assist in emergency responses and exercises’
‘A great conference that not only increased my understanding of the public information functional areas, but some of the additional roles the media can play in an emergency. It also provided me valuable awareness regarding the role of messaging and the various language barriers that may be faced during an emergency event’.
We’ll share the AFAC feedback on the portal over the coming weeks so make sure you check in regularly for updates.
Funding for third-party professional development attendance has been fully utilised for 2025. We’ll keep members informed about any future opportunities in 2026.
There have been some changes to the NBRT Advisory Group (AG) and we welcomed two new representatives whose profiles are available on the NBRT portal.
The DAFF AG representative position is currently vacant. DAFF members are encouraged to reach out to AG Chair Sharon Kolak at sharon.kolek@aff.gov.au or contact the program management team at nbrt@animalhealthaustralia.com.au if needed.
There’s plenty on the horizon for NBRT members as we continue to build capability and strengthen national preparedness.
Plant Health Australia (PHA) will be facilitating a new webinar series starting in September where each jurisdiction will host a session open to all NBRT members.
These webinars are designed to help you prepare for potential deployment into the host jurisdiction. Come ready with questions—this is your chance to learn about local systems, expectations, and response arrangements directly from your peers.
Stay tuned for the full schedule and access details via the portal events page.
PHA are currently finalising a new e-learning course that has been developed to strengthen response capability, foster collaboration across functional teams and help break down silos within an IMT.
Created with the expertise of the previous NBRT mentors and insights from experienced response personnel, the course will offer a practical overview of key functional areas- Planning, Public Information, Logistics, Operations, and Incident Management.
The course is scheduled to go live by the end of 2025 so watch this space!
Planning is underway for the 2026 PD week, and we’re excited to build on the momentum from this year’s program. The focus will be on deepening functional-specific skills and enhancing readiness across the cohort.
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Timing: May 2026 (dates TBC)
Thank you to those who responded to the member survey regarding the workshop program. We look forward to delivering another fun filled week of engaging and insightful sessions and of course, seeing you all in person again!
Your involvement in the NBRT doesn’t stop at training and deployment—staying connected between activities is key to building a strong, informed, and collaborative team.
Make sure you have access to the NBRT portal, your central hub for updates, resources, and member interaction. It includes:
Discussion board — a space for members to ask questions, share learnings, and stay connected. Turn on notifications to receive an email whenever a new post is added so you don’t miss out on valuable insights from your peers.
Member, alumni and advisory group profiles — learn more about your fellow NBRT members, past participants, and AG representatives. These profiles help build connections and foster collaboration across jurisdictions.
News stories — champion the NBRT program by sharing published stories within your networks. These updates help raise awareness of Australia’s biosecurity capability and showcase the impact of your work.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the AHA training team on NBRT@animalhealthaustralia.com.au
