Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen, General Manager of Resilience and Innovation at Plant Health Australia (PHA), joined more than 350 emergency management leaders at Exercise Convergence in Canberra from 26 to 28 May.

Led by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the event tested Australia’s ability to respond to high-impact emergencies that occur at the same time or in close succession. The scenario included a series of challenges such as disease outbreaks, natural disasters, fuel shortages and infrastructure failures. These were designed to reflect the complexity of real-world crises.

A national test of coordination and communication

Participants from government, industry, and the not-for-profit sector worked together to explore how Australia’s systems respond under pressure. The exercise tested decision-making, resource coordination, and the ability to deliver timely and consistent public messaging in fast-moving situations.

Dr Tran-Nguyen said the experience reinforced the importance of strong collaboration across sectors.

“Events like Exercise Convergence reinforce that we can’t operate in silos. Strengthening Australia’s emergency response means drawing on the expertise and coordination we’ve built through biosecurity partnerships,” she said.

The program also looked at how to support early recovery and maintain public trust during extended emergencies.

Dr Tran-Nguyen’s involvement helped align national crisis planning with existing emergency response frameworks used in plant health. Her contribution supported discussions on how to improve collaboration and apply lessons across different sectors.

Learn more

PHA works with governments and industry through the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD) to coordinate biosecurity incident responses.