Govt cracks down on antibiotic use

The federal government is cracking down on antibiotic misuse amid concerns over-prescription is creating resistant bacteria.

Health Minister Sussan Ley has announced a national strategy to curb the use of antibiotics in Australia, which is among the highest in the developed world.

The strategy was not about removing access but rather guiding Australians to take antibiotics safely and to protect the "precious" resource, Ms Ley said in a statement on Tuesday.