The Australian National Quality Assurance Program (ANQAP) facilitates quality assurance in twenty government and private laboratories in Australia and New Zealand. ANQAP focuses on interlaboratory proficiency testing of assays used in quarantine, export certification and national health programs. Currently ANQAP evaluates forty serological assays and includes three bacteriological quality assurance programs, the culture and identification of Mycobacterium bovis (WA) and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (VIAS) and Footrot gelatin gel interlaboratory testing (WA). Participants of the serological testing program receive national reference antisera and a panel of "unknown" sera for use in the blind test appraisal. Results are supplied to ANQAP for a split level analysis based on a robust statistical procedures. Raw results and interpretation are compared to consensus mean values. Laboratories which report acceptable results are identified on the ANQAP Endorsed List of Laboratories. Laboratories which have reported unacceptable results due to incorrect interpretation or significant variation from the expected result are identified as unacceptable on the Endorsed List. These laboratories are required to undertake an internal investigation with the assistance of ANQAP to identify and rectify the test problem. Laboratories have the opportunity to undertake Re-endorsement Testing to be reinstated on the Endorsed List.As well as proficiency testing ANQAP assists in the training of laboratory staff, disseminates information and conducts workshops: assists in the development and revision of Australian Standard Diagnostic Techniques; provides positive and negative controls and panels of sera for in-house test validation; and provides advice on general laboratory quality assurance and external certification and accreditation.