Australia begins upgrading disease preparedness center to strengthen biosecurity

CANBERRA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government announced on Friday that construction has begun on a new laboratory wing at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) to strengthen the country's ability to detect and respond to emerging disease threats.

An aerial drone photo taken on June 20, 2025 shows a winter view in Canberra, Australia. (File photo: Xinhua)

The facility, operated by Australia's national science agency CSIRO in Geelong, Victoria, plays a key role in protecting human and animal health, agriculture and the economy from infectious diseases.

In a joint statement, the government said the upgrade would enhance Australia's scientific and biosecurity capabilities, including its response to threats such as H5 avian influenza.

Minister for Science Tim Ayres said the bird flu outbreak demonstrated the importance of having the expertise and facilities needed to detect and respond quickly to serious disease threats.

The project will be delivered in two stages to ensure the center's diagnostic and research operations continue during construction.

The first stage is expected to be completed in 2029, allowing selected activities to move into the new laboratory wing before refurbishment of existing facilities begins.

The government said it had allocated an additional 387.4 million Australian dollars (about 252 million U.S. dollars) to CSIRO in its latest budget, on top of the agency's annual funding of nearly 1 billion Australian dollars.