EADRA categorisation of diseases

Impacts on affected livestock industries may arise from:

• lost income due to:
  • decreases in the volume and or quality of livestock products, and
  • loss of markets and/or consumer demand, and
• increased production costs to manage the disease.

 Public impacts may arise from:  

• infection of people leading to disease and/or deaths
• infection of wildlife leading to declines or extinction of native wildlife populations   
• flow-on losses to other industries due to lost production and reduced/lost domestic and international trade  
• damage to the economic and social amenity and wellbeing of Australian communities

These categories determine how response costs are shared between governments and industry. Signatories to the EADRA can request a change to a disease’s category if evidence supports a reassessment.

Who can request recategorisation?

Any signatory to the EADRA can apply to change the category of a disease listed in Schedule 3 of the agreement.

How to apply

To request recategorisation, a signatory must:

• write to the Chief Executive Officer of Animal Health Australia (AHA)
• use the form provided in Part 2, Schedule 3 of the agreement
• include sufficient evidence to support the request, such as:
  • disease characteristics
  • public health implications
  • market and trade impacts
  • animal production and environmental considerations

Assessment process and timeline

1. Initial review by AHA
   AHA must assess the application and, if justified, refer it to the Animal Health Committee (AHC) within 30 days.
2. Panel convened
   The Animal Health Committee (AHC) has 30 days to convene an Emergency Animal Disease Categorisation Panel.
3. Panel review
   The panel must report back to the AHC within 90 days.
4. Recommendation
   The AHC reviews the panel’s advice and provides a recommendation to AHA within 30 days.
5. Decision by Relevant Parties
   AHA convenes a meeting of the Relevant Parties (those affected by the decision). If all agree, the recommendation is implemented.

If there is disagreement

• If not all Relevant Parties agree, the AHA Board will review the information and make a final decision.
• AHA will notify all parties of the outcome within 30 days.
• Further review is only possible if new substantive information becomes available.

Relevant Parties

Relevant Parties include:

• the Commonwealth Government
• all state and territory governments
• industry signatories affected by the disease in question

Who pays for the process?

Costs associated with the categorisation panel are retrospectively cost-shared by the Relevant Parties, based on the new category assigned to the disease.

Panel composition