Capacity & Capability
ABIN
The systems that work to protect the health of Australia's people, plants and animals are to be given a significant boost with the development of the Australian Biosecurity Intelligence Network (ABIN).
The purpose of ABIN is to develop biosecurity information management tools, including a shared workspace that allows individuals and groups to collaborate across industries and jurisdictions, sharing information, knowledge and materials. ABIN will provide access to a wide range of biosecurity information, tools and expertise and the key outcome of the initiative will be a collaborative approach through which producers, industry groups, researchers and policy makers can come together and share knowledge.
Under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), the Australian Government has provided $16.5 million over 3 years to develop ABIN as a nationally networked biosecurity framework to assist the areas of human, plant, animal, wildlife and aquatic biosecurity and encourage cross-sectoral collaboration. ABIN is the first initiative to combine all of these sectors in a single program, facilitating a holistic approach to biosecurity and emergency response.
ABIN will create a core infrastructure and coordination capability and undertake a range of initial projects to develop and demonstrate the ABIN concept. Each of these projects will contribute to generating skills and a culture of connectivity to lift Australian biosecurity capability and enhance regional biosecurity relationships in South-East Asia.
Plant Health Australia (PHA) is the lead agency on the project and provide a range of administrative support functions. PHA's host partners in the project are Animal Health Australia, the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, and the Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing.
For more information on ABIN, visit www.abin.org.au.