Antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens in Australia is widely recognised as an important and complex issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes antimicrobial resistance as one of the biggest threats to global health today. In Australia in 20161, Enterobacteriaceae – strains of Escherichia coli that produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamases now a problem in community infections, often multidrug resistant. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections remain infrequent in Australia by global standards, patients with overseas health care contact in countries of high incidence for CRE are increasingly identified with colonisation or infection on return. High rates of resistance in key Gram-positive organisms Staphylococcus aureus – between 15.8% and 17.4% of isolates methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Community MRSA strains now cause a significant proportion of infections in both the community and hospitals. Enterococcus species – one of the highest rates in the world of vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium. Streptococcus pneumoniae – resistance (as defined for strains causing infections other than meningitis) is low (around 2%) for one key antimicrobial (benzylpenicillin), but high (21–26%) for other key antimicrobials. Other non-Enterobacteriaceae species such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii also have the propensity to develop multidrug resistance but tend to be problematic in defined patient groups (e.g. cystic fibrosis) or clinical settings (e.g. burns unit, intensive care units), such bacterial pathogens possess numerous several resistance mechanisms, drastically limiting treatment options. For patients with suspected infection with MDR bacteria or prior risk factors, early communication between the laboratory, infection control services and infectious disease services is essential. Evolving technological advances in the area of early detection of resistance have the potential to reduce this lag time; restricting the use of certain drugs and the development of new drugs with other coordinated efforts such as the National Alert System for Critical Antimicrobial Resistances ( CARAlert) and OrgTRx1 surveillance reporting system may improve outcomes in the near future.