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Australia ‘as well prepared as we possibly could be’ for bird flu virus says environment minister The environment minister, Murray Watt , says a widespread outbreak of bird flu in Australia could severely impact wildlife, but that Australia is well prepared. So far, he says an outbreak in Western Australia is also nowhere near a poultry farm, but the government is working closely with the industry. The government confirmed on Friday that a wild migratory bird had been been found in WA and died from the H5N1 virus. ‘A genuine wildlife emergency’: everything you need to know about the arrival of H5 bird flu in Australia Read more Watt tells ABC News Breakfast: double quotation mark There’s no doubt, James [ Glenday ], that if we were to have a widespread outbreak of this deadly strain that would have a very significant impact on wildlife in Australia. There’s no evidence at all, that this has affected poultry stocks in Australia. It’s a wildlife matter at this point in time. In terms of the species, As I say, we know that bird flu can not only impact on birds, but also mammals as well … We are as well prepared as we possibly could be for this, but it is a risk that we need to take seriously.