Modified Sustain was announced in Victoria on 3 June 2009 -just more than two weeks after the first confirmed case in Victoriaand was followed by a decrease in active case finding. Two weeks later, on 17 June, the Australian Government announced the Protect phase, one that had not been included in Australia's pandemic plan, but was added to the original AHMPPI [5, 7] once the less severe nature of the pandemic had been accepted. WA pre-empted formal adoption of the Protect phase on 13 June, when all doctors and hospitals were asked to cease active case-finding, and prioritise influenza testing only to persons with severe influenza-like illness or established medical risk conditions. Victoria formally moved to the Protect phase on 23 June.