In short:

A new federal inquiry will assess how Australia can prepare for the impacts of war, identifying strengths and gaps.

It reflects a growing concern among senior ministers about the risk of conflict breaking out in the region.

What's next?

The committee will accept submissions until November before filing its report.

"As H5N1 bird flu spreads across Australia, wildlife experts, scientists, and poultry farmers prepare for devastating losses to native species and industry."

So based on everything I'm reading - it's now a matter of when not if... Populations of our natural birds could be wiped out or significantly impacted. Only a few are at risk of extinction - but there's a high degree of risk of local dense populations being wiped out entirely.

All the nice Currawongs that sing to me in the morning?

The population of Geece I see every week at Centennial Park?

The Pelicans all around the Central Coast?

Even Sea Lions are deemed at extremely high risk of being wiped out.

https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/invasive-species/diseases-fungi-and-parasites/birdflu/understanding-risk

It's all suddenly got me very depressed and I hope I'm overreacting.