On Thursday 30 October, Animal Health Australia delivered Liaison – Livestock Industry (LLI) training to South Australian industry representatives in Adelaide — an important step in strengthening preparedness for emergency animal disease (EAD) response.
Hosted by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, South Australia (PIRSA) and facilitated by Craig Elliott from P2R2 Consulting, the workshop brought together over 20 LLI participants representing nine signatories to the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA).
The training focused on building an understanding of the LLI role and practising the skills needed to represent industry effectively during a response.
South Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Skye Fruean, opened the session with insights on how government and industry can best prepare for an EAD incident in SA.
Additional observers from PIRSA, the SA Department for Environment and Water, the SA Environment Protection Authority, and livestock transporters, processors, and auction sectors also attended to deepen their knowledge of industry’s involvement in an EAD response.
Expert insights and real-world experience
The workshop featured practical perspectives from experienced responders:
- Peter Appleford (PIRSA) shared his experience as Incident Controller, highlighting the importance of coordinating industries’ input.
- Narelle Jones (AHA) spoke about her experience in the Public Information function, highlighting the value of working closely with LLIs to help communicate effectively to industry stakeholders.
- Alex-Kate Langfield (Hatch House) walked participants through her LLI deployment during recent HPAI responses, offering a real-world view of the challenges, responsibilities, and rewards of representing your industry in response efforts.
Positive feedback from participants
The training was well received, with 90% of participants and observers agreeing that the training was delivered well and met their needs. They praised the presenters’ knowledge, the diversity of attendees, and the scenario-based activities.
One participant noted:
‘I would like to pass on that the Adelaide AHA LLI workshop was, without a doubt, one of the best AHA workshops I have attended in the past 15 years. There was excellent industry diversity which enhanced the experience, and the incorporation of past learnings into the content was evident.’
Chloe Pike, Integrity Lead at AuctionsPlus, wrote:
‘The breadth of representation [at the training] underscored a vital truth: biosecurity is not just a government responsibility; it is a shared national objective.‘
Why LLIs matter
LLIs play a critical role in ensuring industry voices are heard during an EAD response. By building capability and confidence through training, AHA and its partners are helping safeguard Australia’s livestock industries against future threats.