Biosecurity Emergency
Management
National Biosecurity
Response Team
Arrangements
2017-2019
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Version
Date of issue
Author
Comments
V 1.0
15/02/2017
Dept of Agriculture and Water
Resources
NBC endorsed
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Preparedness section, Biosecurity Policy and Response Branch
Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
PO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2600
[email protected]
Cover: photographs courtesy of New South Wales Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries and Australian
Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements have been developed by the Australian
Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, in consultation with Animal Health
Australia, Plant Health Australia and the following state and territory biosecurity agencies:

Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Tasmania

Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales

Department of Primary Industry and Resources, Northern Territory

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland

Territory and Municipal Services, Australian Capital Territory

Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Victoria

Primary Industries and regions, South Australia
iv
CONTENTS
1.
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 1
1.1
Authority ................................................................................................................................. 1
1.2
Background ............................................................................................................................. 1
1.3
Purpose of this document ....................................................................................................... 1
1.4
Review ..................................................................................................................................... 2
2.
PURPOSE OF THE NBRT ................................................................................................................... 2
3.
ROLE OF THE NBRT .......................................................................................................................... 3
3.1
Preparing for response to biosecurity incidents ..................................................................... 3
3.2
Responding to biosecurity incidents ....................................................................................... 3
4.
STRUCTURE OF THE NBRT ............................................................................................................... 4
5.
GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... 4
6.
RESOURCING THE NBRT .................................................................................................................. 6
6.1
Recruiting processes ............................................................................................................... 6
6.2
Mentor cohort......................................................................................................................... 6
6.3
Incident Management Team, functional cohort ..................................................................... 7
7.
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS ................................................................................................... 8
8.
ACTIVITIES ....................................................................................................................................... 8
9.
8.1
Induction of new members ..................................................................................................... 9
8.2
Professional development activities ....................................................................................... 9
FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS........................................................................................................... 10
9.1
Annual budget ....................................................................................................................... 10
9.2
Jurisdictional contributions................................................................................................... 11
GLOSSARY.............................................................................................................................................. 13
APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................................... 13
Appendix 1:
Division of responsibilities ........................................................................................ 14
Summary of responsibilities.......................................................................................................... 14
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources ........................................................................ 14
Animal Health Australia ................................................................................................................ 15
Plant Health Australia ................................................................................................................... 16
State and territory biosecurity agencies ....................................................................................... 17
v
Appendix 2:
Explanation of annual budget ................................................................................... 18
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Authority
This document has been prepared by the Australian Government Department of
Agriculture and Water Resources, in consultation with state and territory biosecurity
agencies, Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia. The arrangements
described in the document were endorsed by the National Biosecurity Committee on
15 February 2017.
1.2 Background
Initially, a national Rapid Response Team was established in 2003 to assist smaller
jurisdictions such as Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania, in the initial
establishment of a Local Control Centre and State Coordination Centre during the
response to an emergency animal disease. However it soon became evident that the
national Rapid Response Team was a significant national asset that should be made
available to all states and territories.
Over time the national Rapid Response Team has developed into a pool of response
personnel that can be called upon to assist with all types of biosecurity responses. It
comprises personnel with a range of skills, knowledge and experiences across a
range of biosecurity sectors and can be called upon to perform a number of
functions in a biosecurity response.
In recognising the value of the national Rapid Response Team, the National
Biosecurity Committee agreed in January 2015 to formally broaden the scope of the
emergency animal disease-focussed national Rapid Response Team to encompass
animal, plant, aquatic and environment sectors. For the purpose of this document
this cross sectoral resource is referred to as the National Biosecurity Response
Team (NBRT).
To fulfil this requirement, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has
consulted with representatives from state and territory biosecurity agencies, Animal
Health Australia and Plant Health Australia. Throughout this consultation the
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources maintained communication with
the National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness Expert Group. The arrangements
described in this document represent the outcomes from this consultation.
1.3 Purpose of this document
The purpose of this document is to outline the agreed arrangements for the NBRT
over 2017-19. This includes:

purpose of the NBRT

role of the NBRT in preparing for and responding to biosecurity incidents

structure of the NBRT

governance arrangements for the ongoing management of the NBRT

resourcing the NBRT
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements

management arrangements for the NBRT in both preparing for and
responding to biosecurity incidents

activities relevant to the NBRT

funding arrangements for the NBRT.
This document provides guidance to the agencies involved in the management of
the NBRT as well as a point of reference for future negotiations in relation to the
application of the NBRT in preparing for and responding to biosecurity incidents.
1.4 Review
The arrangements outlined in this document will be reviewed every two years
and/or as necessary to ensure that the NBRT continues to meet the needs of
biosecurity agencies in preparing for and responding to biosecurity incidents.
2.
PURPOSE OF THE NBRT
The purpose of the NBRT is to develop and maintain a pool of response ready
personnel, across Australia, which can be accessed by a jurisdiction’s biosecurity
agency when responding to a biosecurity incident.
In fulfilling this purpose, the NBRT will provide access to:

a cohort of mentors that can be called upon to assist a jurisdiction in
establishing its initial response arrangements

a cohort of response personnel that are able to perform a range of response
functions within a State Coordination Centre or Local Control Centre, at any
stage during the response to a biosecurity incident.
To achieve this, members of the NBRT will be provided with opportunities to
participate in professional development activities and exercises relevant to their
nominated function in the NBRT.
The NBRT is not a replacement for jurisdictional responsibilities to develop and train
its own response personnel. It does however provide opportunities for enhancing
the capability of jurisdictions to manage responses to biosecurity incidents by
providing personnel to be part of this national cohort.
Being a member of the NBRT provides an opportunity for biosecurity response
personnel to participate in activities that would not normally be available within
their own jurisdiction. Examples include:

establishing networks and sharing experiences, skills and knowledge with
other biosecurity response personnel across Australia

participating in professional development activities relevant to their
biosecurity response function/s

practicing biosecurity response functions in a large scale functional exercise

opportunity to mentor response personnel from other jurisdictions during
exercises and the response to biosecurity incidents.
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3.
ROLE OF THE NBRT
3.1 Preparing for response to biosecurity incidents
The role of the NBRT in preparing for response to biosecurity incidents is to maintain
and enhance the skills and knowledge of a national pool of ‘response ready’
personnel.
This will be achieved through NBRT members:

participating in a suite of professional development activities that includes
training, workshops and exercises

establishing and maintaining networks with other NBRT members, across
Australia

sharing of knowledge, experiences, procedures and work products that are
relevant to their function within the NBRT.
Importantly, NBRT members are drawn from existing resources within each
jurisdiction and as such, the NBRT builds on the preparedness work already
undertaken by jurisdictions as part of ‘normal commitments’ to establish and
maintain their own capability to respond to biosecurity incidents.
3.2 Responding to biosecurity incidents
The role of the NBRT in supporting a jurisdiction during the response to biosecurity
incidents is two-fold, i.e.:

Provide access to highly trained and experienced mentors at the initial stage
of a response, in order to establish arrangements and provide guidance to
less experienced response personnel.

Provide access to additional response personnel for incident management
functions within a State Coordination Centre or Local Control Centres.
The success of the NBRT in being able to support jurisdictions during the response to
a biosecurity incident is reliant upon the ongoing support of all jurisdictions,
particularly in relation to availability of appropriate personnel for deployment.
Where practical, NBRT members should be released for deployment without delay
unless:

they are unavailable due to personal reasons (e.g. health or family
commitments)

work commitments exist that are of a higher priority than the biosecurity
incident

the risk of the biosecurity incident to a supporting jurisdiction is such that
the NBRT member is not able to be released.
3.2.1
Interstate Deployment Arrangements for Biosecurity Responses
During biosecurity incidents:

NBRT members should be identified as a priority resource that can be made
available to support the affected jurisdiction/s

NBRT deployments will be managed using the arrangements described in the
Interstate Deployment Arrangements for Biosecurity Responses.
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4.
STRUCTURE OF THE NBRT
The NBRT includes two distinct cohorts of personnel, i.e. a mentor cohort and an
Incident Management Team functional cohort.
The mentor cohort includes up to 20 personnel that can be deployed to another
jurisdiction to assist that jurisdiction to establish its initial response structure and to
provide guidance to less experienced response personnel.
The Incident Management Team functional cohort includes up to 50 personnel that
can be deployed to another jurisdiction and are able to perform one or more
incident management functions within a State Coordination Centre or Local Control
Centre.
This structure recognises that there are other specialist resources that may not be
members of the NBRT, which may also be called upon to assist a jurisdiction
responding to a biosecurity incident, these include:
5.

other personnel in biosecurity agencies with response experience, skills and
knowledge relevant to the particular response

past members of the NBRT (or its previous iterations)

staff with expertise specific to the needs of a particular response, such as:
o
epidemiologists
o
laboratory staff
o
plant pathologists and entomologists
o
veterinarians.
GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS
The governance structure for the ongoing management of the NBRT and the
associated arrangements will include:

National Biosecurity Committee

National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness Expert Group

NBRT Advisory Group
The National Biosecurity Committee provides executive level support to the NBRT.
In doing this, the National Biosecurity Committee will consider and agree on the
arrangements described in this document. In particular it will:

approve the financial arrangements required to support the ongoing
management and activities of the NBRT

nominate a point of contact in each jurisdiction to coordinate relevant
aspects of the management of the NBRT, in particular identifying and
nominating potential NBRT members.
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The National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness Expert Group will provide
strategic guidance and a jurisdictional perspective on the purpose and direction of
the NBRT. In doing this the National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness Expert
Group will:

nominate representatives to the NBRT Advisory Group

approve an annual activity plan for the NBRT

establish a schedule for future NBRT exercises

ensure coordination of effort between the NBRT Advisory Group and task
groups established by the National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness
Expert Group

report to the National Biosecurity Committee on activities undertaken by the
NBRT.
The NBRT Advisory Group will provide operational direction for the NBRT. In doing
this they will:

identify the number of people required to maintain an effective NBRT

perform the role of NBRT recruiting panel, in order to:
o
manage the nomination and recruiting processes for NBRT members
o
guide and endorse recommendations for exit/demobilisation of
NBRT members

identify appropriate activities required to develop and maintain the NBRT

develop an annual activity plan for the NBRT

participate in the development of activities and exercises that are developed
for the professional development of NBRT members

maintain this document and progressively develop policies to manage the
NBRT

provide an annual activity report to the National Biosecurity Emergency
Preparedness Expert Group on activities undertake by NBRT members.
The NBRT Advisory Group will be chaired by the Australian Government Department
of Agriculture and Water Resources, with administrative support provided by Animal
Health Australia.
Membership of the NBRT Advisory Group will include representatives from:

Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Animal Health Australia

Plant Health Australia

at least two state/territory biosecurity agencies.
State and territory representatives will be nominated by the National Biosecurity
Emergency Preparedness Expert Group. In doing so, the Expert Group will
endeavour to ensure that there is equitable representation across biosecurity
sectors and jurisdictions.
The NBRT Advisory Group will maintain contact with task groups established by the
National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness Expert Group to ensure a coordinated
effort in developing and maintaining the NBRT and reducing the likelihood of
duplication.
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6.
RESOURCING THE NBRT
6.1 Recruiting processes
The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, in consultation with Animal
Health Australia, Plant Health Australia and state and territory biosecurity agencies,
will design a nomination, recruiting and exit/demobilisation process for NBRT
members. This process will be coordinated and executed through the NBRT Advisory
Group.
In selecting members of the NBRT, consideration will be given to ensuring that there
is an equitable spread across jurisdictions, biosecurity sectors and incident
management functions performed in a State Coordination Centre and Local Control
Centre. Selection processes will clearly articulate the requirements of being a
member of the NBRT.
While recruiting may occur throughout the year to fill critical vacancies, a formal
annual program will typically be conducted. The criteria for nomination and
selection will be based on a written application that includes support from a
nominee’s jurisdiction and demonstrates relevant experience in responses and/or
exercises.
Selection of new recruits will be coordinated to ensure that it allows sufficient time
for NBRT members to be inducted into the NBRT and participate in either an NBRT
professional development activity or jurisdiction based exercise in their first year.
In nominating to be a member of the NBRT, personnel and their management are
agreeing to a commitment to:

participate in the relevant induction, professional development activities
and exercises that are being conducted for the NBRT

be available to participate in deployments to another jurisdiction, nominally
of two weeks in duration.
6.2 Mentor cohort
The mentor cohort will include up to 20 members.
The mentor cohort is a pool of personnel that can be called upon to assist and guide
a jurisdiction when establishing its initial response structures.
When deployed, mentors will work alongside jurisdictional response staff in order
for them to perform their assigned incident management function/s.
While it is ideal that during a response, mentor/s be present in the respective State
Coordination Centre or Local Control Centre in the first instant, the role of mentor
may be able to be performed remotely via regular telephone/video contact.
6.2.1
Skills, knowledge and attributes
Members of the mentor cohort will:

have performed the incident management function they are mentoring in an
actual response

have a high level of experience in and understanding of emergency
management and/or incident management systems and their application in
a biosecurity context
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
have the appropriate temperament to mentor others in a high pressure
response environment.
Priority will be given to applicants who possess or are actively obtaining relevant
incident management training or qualifications, this includes the Certificate IV or
Diploma level biosecurity response qualifications.
As part of their participation in the NBRT, members of the mentor cohort will be
provided an opportunity to participate in ‘mentor’ training, as well as practicing this
role during NBRT exercises and other professional development activities.
6.2.2
Tenure
Members of the mentor cohort will be appointed initially for three years. This
appointment will be reviewed at the end of this period and may be extended for a
further three years. Further appointments will be considered on a case by case basis.
6.3 Incident Management Team functional cohort
The Incident Management Team functional cohort will include up to 50 members.
The Incident Management Team functional cohort is a pool of personnel that can be
called upon to perform a range of response functions within a State Coordination
Centre or Local Control Centre. These response functions include:

Incident Management (Coordination/Control)

Liaison Management

Public Information

Planning

Operations

Logistics.
For the purpose of the NBRT, members of the Incident Management Team
functional cohort should be willing and able to perform a number of roles within
their nominated function. For example, a person nominated to Planning activities
could be called upon to undertake any one or more of the functions within the
Planning section during a response, such as Situation and Assessment or Response
Planning.
6.3.1
Skills, knowledge and attributes
Members of the Incident Management Team functional cohort will, as far as
possible:

have performed the incident management function they are nominating for
in an actual response

have experience in and understanding of incident management systems and
their application in a biosecurity context.
Priority will be given to applicants who possess or are actively obtaining relevant
incident management training or qualifications, this includes the Certificate III
biosecurity response qualification, or above.
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6.3.2
Tenure
Members of the Incident Management Team functional cohort will be appointed
initially for three years and may apply for an extension of a further three years.
At any time, members of the Incident Management Team functional cohort with
sufficient skills and experience may apply for a position within the mentor cohort.
7.
MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
The management and administration of the NBRT is a joint approach, involving
shared responsibilities between the Department of Agriculture and Water
Resources, Animal Health Australia, Plant Health Australia and state/territory
biosecurity agencies.
The division of responsibilities is detailed in Appendix 1 and recognises the need for
continued jurisdictional support through financial contribution and provision of
resources for the development, conduct and evaluation of NBRT related activities.
8.
ACTIVITIES
The continued success of the NBRT is underpinned by a regular program of activities
that are designed to support and develop the skills and knowledge of the NBRT
members. As a minimum, these activities will include:

annual recruiting for new/replacement members

induction of new members into the NBRT

an annual professional development activity (this may be NBRT specific or
include participation in a jurisdiction based exercise)

facilitating opportunities for NBRT members to participate in other
development activities in their home or another jurisdiction.
The significant value to NBRT members from participating in large scale functional
exercise is recognised by all jurisdictions. However, as these exercises are costly,
time consuming and require a significant contribution from the host jurisdiction, the
interval of large scale exercises should be biennial (i.e. every two years), with smaller
scale exercises and/or professional development activities being conducted in
alternate years.
Based on a three year tenure (which is seen as a minimum) a member of the NBRT
could expect to participate in the following:


first year:
o
NBRT induction (two days)
o
NBRT professional development activity or jurisdiction based
exercise (up to five days)
subsequent years:
o
NBRT professional development activity or jurisdiction based
exercise (up to five days)
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
o
where identified and available, provided with the opportunity to
participate in role/function specific activity hosted by their home or
another jurisdiction.
Further, NBRT members may be nominated to participate in the review or
development of materials specific to their function within the NBRT (e.g.
procedures, training materials).
8.1 Induction of new members
New members of the NBRT will participate in an induction activity, designed to
prepare them for participating in the NBRT and any upcoming professional
development activity or exercise.
The induction activity should provide an opportunity for new members to:

understand the purpose of the NBRT and its responsibilities in preparing for
and responding to biosecurity incidents

develop networks within the NBRT

prepare for their nominated function in the NBRT.
The induction activity, should also provide an opportunity for one or more existing
NBRT member/s to share their experiences with new members.
It is anticipated that the length of this induction will be in the order of two days.
Depending upon the needs of individual members, NBRT specific professional
development activities could be included or added to the induction which may
extend this commitment to three days (held over one working week).
8.2 Professional development activities
NBRT professional development activities will be conducted that are designed to
enhance NBRT capability. These will take many forms and could include:

NBRT specific professional development activities/workshops

coordination of NBRT development activities with those being conducted by
individual jurisdictions

individual NBRT members attending training/workshops specific to their
function, whether these are conducted in their home or another jurisdiction.
It is anticipated that the length of professional development activities could range
from two to four days. As far as possible this should be conducted in one block and
within a single working week.
8.3 Biennial exercises
Biennial exercises that include the NBRT are required to develop and maintain the
skills of NBRT members. These exercises also provide a benefit to the level of
preparedness of the host jurisdiction. Exercises will:

be rotated amongst jurisdictions

provide opportunities for NBRT members to practice their assigned role,
either as a mentor or performing their assigned function within a realistic
exercise environment.
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A schedule of forthcoming exercises will be determined by the National Biosecurity
Emergency Preparedness Expert Group and included in the annual activity plan for
the NBRT.
It is anticipated that the length of biennial exercises could range from three to five
days. These should be conducted within a single working week.
The host jurisdiction will have primary responsibility for leading the design, planning,
conduct and evaluation of the biennial exercise. The host jurisdiction will be
supported by both Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia
In recognition of the costs to a jurisdiction when conducting the biennial exercise,
provision has been made within the NBRT budget for a financial contribution to
cover the logistical costs of conducting the exercise. Notwithstanding this, a host
jurisdiction may also seek funding from other sources available at the time to cover
any additional costs they may incur.
9.
FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS
9.1 Annual budget
In developing the NBRT concept, an indicative annual budget has been prepared that
indicates an annual cost of $574 520 (Exc GST) to maintain the NBRT. A summary of
what this amount will cover is provided in Table 1.
In developing the annual budget for the NBRT, the costs of planning, conducting and
evaluating activities such as induction for new members, professional development
activities, exercises and associated management were identified. The budget
includes estimated costs for planning meetings, induction of new members,
professional development, a contribution towards biennial exercises and funding for
staff time required to manage the activities and administration of the NBRT.
Activity
Cost (Exc GST)
per annum
1.
NBRT Advisory Group and planning meetings
$ 38 000
2.
Annual RRT induction
$ 43 000
3.
Biennial professional development activity
$ 73 000
4.
Professional development opportunities
$ 42 000
5.
Biennial exercise
$ 156 000
6.
Management and administration (AHA and PHA staff
time)
$ 190 000
7.
Annual management fee (based on 6.00%)
Annual total
$ 32 520
$ 574 520
Table 1- Annual maintenance of NBRT 1
Table 1 – Estimated annual costs of maintaining the NBRT
The rationale and calculation for each of the various costs are outlined in
Appendix 2.
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
9.1.1
Annual variations and reserve
The biennial nature of the activities under the NBRT programme will result in
variances in expenditure across a two year cycle. For consistency, the average annual
cost of $574 520 will be collected from funding parties, with any under-spend in the
program held in reserve and carried over to the following financial year. A maximum
reserve of $200 000 may be carried over.
The expenditure and reserve level will be reported to the National Biosecurity
Committee through the National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness Expert Group
as part of the NBRT annual activity report. In the event that the maximum reserve
limit is exceeded, the National Biosecurity Committee will give direction in relation
to the disbursement of excess funds.
9.2 Jurisdictional contributions
9.2.1
Financial contributions
Financial contributions for maintaining the NBRT will be made by each jurisdiction.
The calculation of each jurisdiction’s contribution is based on the National
Biosecurity Committee’s population based funding model. The estimated
contribution for each jurisdiction, by percentage and amount is outlined in Table 2.
Jurisdiction
% contribution
$ contribution
(excl GST)
Australian Government
50.000%
$ 287 260
New South Wales
16.015%
$ 92 009
Victoria
12.575%
$ 72 246
Queensland
10.040%
$ 57 682
Western Australia
5.425%
$ 31 168
South Australia
3.540%
$ 20 338
Tasmania
1.075%
$ 6176
Australian Capital Territory
0.820%
$ 4 711
Northern Territory
0.510%
$ 2 930
Total contributions
100.00%
$ 574 520
Table 2 - Estimated annual contribution 1
Table 2 – Estimated annual contribution (ABS population data June 2016)
Table 2 – Estimated annual contribution (ABS population data June 2016)
9.2.2
In-kind contributions
To ensure successful maintenance of the NBRT and delivery of relevant activities, all
jurisdictions should, as far as possible, make available trainers and training resources
to assist with the development and delivery of NBRT related activities.
Jurisdictions are encouraged to:

provide staff for participation in jurisdictional specific exercises
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements

assist with identifying appropriate venues for exercises (whilst noting that
where appropriate some additional costs will be covered by the NBRT
training and development budget)

assist with the (technical and logistical) development of such events.
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GLOSSARY
The following terms have been used within this document and their definitions provided for ready
reference.
Term / acronym
Definition
Functional cohort
Member of the NBRT that are able to perform a range of response
functions within a State Coordination centre or Local Control Centre,
at any stage during the response to a biosecurity incident
Interstate Deployment
Arrangements for
Biosecurity Responses
A nationally agreed document that describes the arrangements for
coordinating the deployment of personnel between jurisdictions for
biosecurity responses
Jurisdiction
In this document means a state, territory or Australian governments
and their respective area of responsibility
Mentor cohort
Members of the NBRT that can be called upon to assist a jurisdiction
in establishing its initial response arrangements, during the response
to a biosecurity incident
NBRT
National Biosecurity Response Team
NBRT Advisory Group
The group responsible for providing operational direction for the
NBRT. This group is chaired by the Australian Government
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and includes
representatives from Animal Health Australia, Plant Health Australia
and two state/territory biosecurity agencies
APPENDICES
Appendix 1:
Division of responsibilities
Appendix 2:
Explanation of annual budget
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Appendix 1:
Division of responsibilities
Summary of responsibilities
This appendix provides an outline of the responsibilities and the full time equivalent (FTE)
contribution for the ongoing management and maintenance of the NBRT and its associated
activities. This is summarised in the following table and further described below.
Organisation
FTE
Responsibilities
Department of Agriculture
and Water Resources
0.30 
NBRT management and
maintenance
Animal Health Australia
0.78 
NBRT management and
maintenance

0.25 
NBRT maintenance
< 0.20 
Per state/territory
NBRT maintenance
Plant Health Australia
State/territory biosecurity
agencies
NBRT logistics
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Annual contribution: 0.30 FTE
NBRT Management and maintenance
The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has a responsibility to support Animal Health
Australia in the management of the NBRT. In this case, the department will:

chair the NBRT Advisory Group meetings

participate in NBRT Advisory Group meetings

lead the development of processes for nomination, recruiting and exit/demobilisation for
NBRT members

lead the nomination and recruiting processes required to recruit new NBRT members. This
will be undertaken through the NBRT Advisory Group and may include seeking, receiving,
reviewing, ranking and commenting on nominations, as well as communicating with
successful and unsuccessful applicants

chair the NBRT recruiting panel

participate in the design, planning and conduct of an annual induction activity

participate in the design, planning and conduct of a biennial professional development
activity

participate in the design, planning, conduct and evaluation of the biennial NBRT exercise.
It is anticipated that the staff time required for the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
to support the management of the NBRT is in the order of 0.30 FTE. This commitment will be
provided by the department as an in-kind contribution to the ongoing maintenance of the NBRT and
as such is not included in the NBRT annual budget. Notwithstanding this, costs associated with
participate in activities (travel, accommodation etc) will be covered and are included within the
NBRT annual budget.
NBRT arrangements Final 20170215
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
During the response to a biosecurity incident, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
will work with Jurisdictional Deployment Coordinators, in accordance with the Interstate
Deployment Arrangements for Biosecurity Responses, to assist with access to and ensure
appropriate use of NBRT members.
Animal Health Australia
Annual contribution: 0.78 FTE
Animal Health Australia has the following responsibilities:

NBRT management and maintenance

NBRT logistics
NBRT management and maintenance
NBRT management includes maintaining the NBRT, in preparation for being able to be deployed to
assist one or more jurisdictions during the response to a biosecurity incident. NBRT management will
be undertaken primarily by Animal Health Australia, with the support of Plant Health Australia. In
fulfilling these responsibilities, Animal Health Australia will:

provide administrative and secretariat support to and participate in the:
o
NBRT Advisory Group
o
NBRT recruiting panel.

support the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to manage the nomination and
recruiting processes required to recruit new NBRT members maintain relevant details of
existing and previous NBRT members

establish and maintain a method for NBRT members to share information and stay informed
about NBRT activities

lead and participate in the design, planning and conduct of an annual induction activity

o

identify opportunities for NBRT members to maintain and/or enhance skills and knowledge
relevant to their NBRT function

lead and participate in the design, planning and conduct of the biennial professional
development activity

evaluate and report on the biennial professional development activity and biennial exercise

support the host jurisdiction to design, plan and conduct of the biennial NBRT exercise

support the host jurisdiction to plan and manage an appropriate evaluation approach for the
biennial NBRT exercise

develop and provide an annual report to the NBC (via the Expert Group) on activities
undertaken by the NBRT.
It is anticipated that the staff time required to perform the NBRT management and maintenance
functions is in the order of 0.55 FTE (full time equivalent). Staff cost, including overheads, for Animal
Health Australia to fulfil these responsibilities are included in the annual NBRT budget.
NBRT arrangements Final 20170215
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
NBRT logistics
The provision of logistical support to NBRT activities is an extension of the NBRT management and
maintenance functions. This includes managing the administrative and logistical* requirements for:

NBRT Advisory Group meetings

NBRT induction panel meetings

an annual induction activity

the biennial professional development activity

the biennial NBRT exercise

NBRT member participation in ad-hoc training and professional development activities.
* logistical requirements may include arranging travel, accommodation, venue hire and catering.
It is anticipated that the staff time required to perform the NBRT logistics function is in the order of
0.23 FTE (full time equivalent). Staff cost, including overheads, for Animal Health Australia to
perform this function are included in the annual NBRT budget.
Plant Health Australia
Annual contribution: 0.25 FTE
NBRT maintenance
In addition to supporting Animal Health Australia with the management of the NBRT, Plant Health
Australia will also participate in activities that contribute to the maintenance of the NBRT.
Specifically, Plant Health Australia will:
o
participate in NBRT Advisory Group meetings
o
participate in NBRT recruiting panel
o
participate in the design, planning and conduct of an annual induction activity
o
participate in the design, planning and conduct of a biennial professional development
activity
o
participate in the design, planning, conduct and evaluation of the biennial NBRT exercise.
It is anticipated that the staff time required to participate in the activities outlined above is in the
order of 0.25 FTE. Staff cost, including overheads, for Plant Health Australia to contribute to the
maintenance of the NBRT are included in the annual NBRT budget.
NBRT arrangements Final 20170215
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
State and territory biosecurity agencies
Annual contribution: < 0.20 FTE (per participating state/territory)
NBRT maintenance
To ensure that the NBRT continues to meet the needs of all jurisdictions, two state/territories will be
represented on the NBRT Advisory Group and participate in the design, planning, conduct and
evaluation of NBRT activities. Represented jurisdictions will:

participate in NBRT Advisory Group meetings

participate in NBRT recruiting panel

participate in the design, planning and conduct of an annual induction activity

participate in the design, planning and conduct of a biennial professional development
activity

participate in the design, planning, conduct and evaluation of the biennial NBRT exercise.
It is anticipated that the staff time required to participate in the activities outlined above will be less
than 0.20 FTE per jurisdiction during the years they participate in the NBRT Advisory Group. This
commitment will be provided by the relevant states/territories as an in-kind contribution to the
ongoing maintenance of the NBRT and as such is not included in the NBRT annual budget.
Notwithstanding this, costs associated with participating in activities (travel, accommodation etc)
will be covered and are included within the NBRT annual budget.
NBRT arrangements Final 20170215
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
Appendix 2:
Explanation of annual budget
The following notes provide an explanation of the calculations used to develop the
annual budget for the NBRT.
1.
NBRT Advisory Group and planning meetings – provides for up to six people to
travel to attend four, two day, face-to-face meetings per year (i.e. Advisory Group
meetings, recruiting panel and activity planning meetings).
Estimated cost per meeting (held over two days)
Airfares - 6 return flights @ $700
Taxis and transfers
Accommodation (2 nights @ $200 per night) and
allowance for meals etc. (3 days @ $100 per day)
Venue hire and catering (if required)
Total per meeting
$ 4 200
$ 600
$ 4 200
$ 500
$ 9 500
Total per annum
2.
$ 38 000
Annual RRT induction – provides for up to twenty people to travel to attend a two
day, face-to-face induction (held over three days).
Estimated cost for induction (held over three days)
Airfares - 20 return flights @ $700
Taxis and transfers
Accommodation (2 nights @ $200 per night) and
allowance for meals etc. (3 days x $100 per day)
Venue hire and catering (if required)
$ 14 000
$ 2 000
$ 14 000
$ 3 000
Engagement of a consultant to facilitator and or provide
specific training
$ 10 000
Total per induction
$ 43 000
Total per annum
$ 43 000
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
3.
Biennial professional development activity – provides for up to 70 people
participating in a professional development activity. Noting that this may consist of
one activity that includes several components, i.e. one component for the mentor
cohort and a separate component for the Incident Management Team functional
cohort.
Estimated cost for a professional development activity (held over four days)
Airfares - 70 return flights @ $700
Taxis and transfers
$ 49 000
$ 7 000
Accommodation (3 nights @ $200 per night) and
allowance for meals etc. (4 days $100 per day)
$ 70 000
Venue hire and catering (if required)
$ 10 000
Engagement of a consultant to facilitate and or provide
NBRT specific training
$ 10 000
Total per activity
$ 146 000
Total per annum
4.
$ 73 000
Professional development opportunities – provides for travel and accommodation
expenses for NBRT members to participate in professional development
opportunities in other jurisdictions (previous examples include, participating in
Incident Controller training being conducted in Adelaide, attend exercise
management training at Mt Macedon). Calculations are based on 20 people
attending a four day activity.
Estimated cost for a professional development activity (held over four days)
Airfares - 20 return flights @ $700
Taxis and transfers
$ 14 000
$ 2 000
Accommodation (4 nights @ $200 per night) and
allowance for meals etc. (5 days $100 per day)
$ 26 000
Total per annum
$ 42 000
NBRT arrangements Final 20170215
$ 42 000
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
5.
Biennial exercise – provides for up to 80 people to participate in an exercise
(calculations are based on 70 NBRT members and ten other staff that may be
required to facilitate and evaluate the biennial exercise)
It also makes provision for an annual allowance for the logistical costs associated
with the delivery of the exercise (e.g. venue and equipment hire, IT and
communication infrastructure, catering and participant transport between
accommodation and venue). These funds complement the arrangements
implemented by the host jurisdiction.
Based on a contribution of $50 000 per annum, up to $100 000 could be made
available to the host jurisdiction to conduct the biennial exercise.
Estimated cost for participation in a biennial exercise (held over five days)
Airfares - 80 return flights @ $700
Taxis and transfers
Accommodation (5 nights @ $200 per night) and
allowance for meals etc. (6 days $100 per day)
Engagement of a consultant to contribute to the
development, conduct or evaluation of the exercise
$ 56 000
$ 8 000
$ 128 000
$ 20 000
Contribution to host jurisdiction for logistical costs of the
exercise
$ 100 000
Total per meeting
$ 312 000
Total per annum
6.
$ 156 000
Management and administration – provides for the costs associated in the ongoing
management of the NBRT and related activities. Apart from Animal Health Australia
and Plant Health Australia, the staff costs associated with management and
administration of the NBRT will be provided as in-kind contributions by the relevant
jurisdiction.
Management and administration costs
NBRT programme management – AHA (0.78 FTE) & PHA
(0.25 FTE)

NBRT management

NBRT logistics and administrative support

Participation in Advisory Group and management
of NBRT activities
$ 190 000
NBRT programme management – Department of
Agriculture and Water Resources (0.30 FTE)
In-kind
NBRT programme management – State/territories (< 0.20
FTE per jurisdiction)
In-kind
Total per annum
$ 190 000
NBRT arrangements Final 20170215
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National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements
8.
Annual Management fee – provides for a percentage fee charged by the body
managing the financial aspects of the NBRT budget. In this case it will be Animal
Health Australia.
Annual Management fee
AHA management fee (calculated at 6.0%)
$ 32 500
Total per annum
$ 32 500
NBRT arrangements Final 20170215
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