Since 2017, the NBRT Program (the Program) has been developing and maintaining a pool of response-ready personnel across Australia. Comprising of mentor and functional cohorts, members of the NBRT can be accessed by states and/or territories when responding to a biosecurity incident (i.e. responses to animal, plant, aquatic, environmental incidents and natural disasters).
In addition to facilitating states and territories to access a national cohort of highly capable response personnel, the Program provides a mechanism for its members to participate in professional development opportunities that would not normally be available within their own jurisdiction, such as workshops, exercises and events. These opportunities not only allow NBRT members to maintain, refine and enhance their individual knowledge and skills but also a chance to establish interstate networks and share experiences and resources that they can feed back into their home jurisdiction.
The NBRT Program is managed by Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia on behalf of the biosecurity agencies of each Australian jurisdiction, and is operationalised by the NBRT Advisory Group (consisting of representatives from Animal Health Australia, Plant Health Australia, the Australian Government and at least two state and/or territory government).
For more information on the management of the NBRT Program, refer to the NBRT Arrangements (2020–23).