Already summer has drawn to a close – the Animal Health Australia (AHA) team in the office had a lovely end-of-summer BBQ to mark its farewell, and Canberra is getting a little chilly in the evenings and mornings. If you’re heading here for Member Engagement Week, be sure to bring a light jumper or jacket!
I recently travelled to Perth to join the AHA Board Directors for the first Board meeting of 2024. Some of the key issues discussed included the next steps for AUSPestCheck, the engagement process for the review of the constitution and planning for the 2024-25 Annual Operating Plan. In addition to the meeting itself, the Board took the opportunity to meet with key WA stakeholders, including the WA Agriculture Minister, the Hon Jackie Jarvis, the WA Deputy Director General Sustainability and Biosecurity, Mia Carbon, the WA Chief Veterinary Officer, Michelle Rodan, and industry leaders from WA Farmers Federation, the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA and WA Biosecurity Council. These sessions were extremely informative and helped the Board and the AHA executive to better understand some of the key issues and challenges in biosecurity, EAD preparedness and livestock in this beautiful state of WA.
The AHA team are also gearing up for Member Engagement Week in Canberra, starting next week. There will be the usual Members’, Industry and Government Forums, networking functions, the EADRA workshop and National Management Group training as well as a few sessions presented and led by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). We’re also pleased that the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, will be addressing the group, in a virtual but live session on Tuesday morning, and has agreed to answer your questions!
You can see the full program of events in the story below. We look forward to seeing many of you next week!
Thanks,
Dr Samantha Allan