More about Exercise Eleusis

• Background
• What was the benefit of Exercise Eleusis?
• Who participated in Exercise Eleusis?
• Activities leading up to Exercise Eleusis
• What was Eleusis?

Background

Exercise Eleusis '05 was held to ensure our agricultural and health emergency pest and disease response systems are reliable and we remain well prepared for any such outbreaks in Australia.

Australia has one of the world’s best emergency pest and disease response systems and because the country remains free of the world’s most destructive pests and diseases this provides a major trading advantage.

In addition, Australians are becoming increasingly aware of avian influenza's potential to damage agricultural industries and impact on human health. The disease remains a real threat to Australia having spread rapidly through many countries to our near north and claiming to date the lives of more than 60 people.

Planning for Exercise Eleusis ’05 began in May 2004 and was one in a series of simulations governments conduct from time to time to better prepare Australia to respond to the possibility of a real event.

What was the benefit of Exercise Eleusis?

Exercise Eleusis aimed at improving the Australian and state government's, as well as industry’s preparedness for a real emergency disease outbreak.

The simulation aimed to strengthen the working relationships between government and industry and played an important role in training people who would be involved in responding to a real disease outbreak.

In 2002, Exercise Minotaur was held to simulate an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. It was the first simulation of its kind in Australia involving whole of government and industry. Minotaur led to significant improvements to Australia's preparedness for a major animal disease or pest emergency, in areas such as disease control, legislation, trade and communications.

Who participated in Exercise Eleusis?

Exercise Eleusis participants included:

Australian Government:

• The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Department of Health and Ageing
• The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
• The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
• Department of Transport and Regional Services
• Food Safety, Australia & New Zealand
• Emergency Management Australia
• Australian Animal Health Laboratory

State and Territory Governments:

• State & Territory Departments of Primary Industries
• State & Territory Departments of Health
• First Ministers'
• Emergency Management
• Environment Protection Authority

Industry Organisations:

• Australian Chicken Meat Federation
• Australian Egg Corporation
• Free Range Egg and Poultry Australia
• Game Bird Australia
• Australian Poultry Industries Association

Other Participants:

• Animal Health Australia
• Poultry Cooperative Research Centre
• Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre

Activities leading up to Exercise Eleusis

The pre-cursor activities listed below were held to prepare individual teams for their participation in the main Exercise.

What was Eleusis?

Eleusis is a city west of Athens where according to mythology the Goddess of agriculture saved a young boy's life and gave him powers to teach others the rewards of farming. Ancient Greek Rituals coducted at Eleusis were considered to awaken feelings of piety and cheerful hope of a better life in the future. (Source Bulfinch's Mythology)

The logo used for Exercise Eleusis is based on a Greek coin depicting the Goddess of Agriculture in a chariot being pulled by two basilecks - the king of snakes.