Animal Health Committee 23 Face to Face, 3-4 April 2013
Welcome to the Animal Health Committee (AHC) newsletter for animal industry bodies. The aim of the Vetcommunique is to provide a communication link between AHC and industry bodies.
AHC meetings are attended by the Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) of the Commonwealth, States and Territories, the New Zealand CVO and representatives from Animal Health Australia (AHA), Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), Animal Division (DAFF) and Australian Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC). National Industry association representatives and industry representatives from the host jurisdiction also attend an AHC – industry forum.
AHC meets on 3-4 April 2013 in Wellington, New Zealand. Dr Rick Symons is the Queensland Chief Veterinary Officer and AHC Chair for 2013.
Further information on the structure of AHC can be found on the DAFF website.
Introducing Dr Rick Symons – QLD CVO & AHC Chair 2013
Rick is a Queensland graduate and has practised in Queensland and England. He joined the then Queensland Department of Primary Industries as a field veterinarian and became the regional veterinary manager in South East Queensland.
He then moved to the area of animal welfare and led the team which developed the Animal Care and Protection Act. He also established the Animal Welfare Unit within Biosecurity Queensland.
As Queensland’s Chief Veterinary Officer he is responsible for overseeing animal related biosecurity policy and operations as well as the veterinary diagnostic laboratories. He is also involved in emergency responses such as the recent Hendra virus and Bovine Johne’s Disease responses. He is a member of the national Animal Welfare Committee and chair of the Sub-committee on Animal Welfare.
Rick has a Master of Business Administration, a PhD in physiology, and is a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, Epidemiology and Animal Welfare chapters.
Key items for discussion
Key issues to be discussed by AHC include
- Australia’s Emergency Animal Disease (EAD): General surveillance, incident response and training capability including a progress report from the FMD Task Force activities
- Bovine Johne’s Disease: developments in Northern Australia, vaccination, trading issues
- Enzootic Bovine Leukosis: declaration of freedom in the national dairy herd
- Hendra Virus: updates on DIVA development and vaccination implementation
- Interim report from the equine micro-chipping working group
Industry briefing for AHC23 face-to-face meeting:
Given the location of this F2F meeting, the traditional briefing of Animal Health Australia Industry Forum members will be provided by the AHC Chair at the AHA Industry Forum on 19 March 2013. New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries (NZ MPI) have invited representatives from New Zealand Industry to attend a briefing session with AHC on Thursday 4 April 2013.
Issues that will be discussed at this joint session include:
- NZ MPI’s Office Audit General Report (OAG)
- DAFF’s Foot and Mouth Disease National Action Plan (FMD NAP) and the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA)
- Comparison of challenges and opportunities presented by OAG and FMD NAP.
AHC Key Contacts
Key Contacts
Dr Rick Symons (AHC Chair 2013), Queensland CVO, 07 3087 8014
Dr Ian Roth, New South Wales CVO, 02 6391 3577
Dr Andrew Cameron, Victorian CVO, 03 9217 4237
Dr Mark Schipp, Australian CVO, 02 6272 4644
Dr Malcolm Anderson, Northern Territory CVO, 08 8999 2130
Dr Rob Rahaley, South Australian CVO, 08 8207 7970
Dr Rod Andrewartha, Tasmanian CVO, 03 6233 6836
Dr Peter Morcombe, Western Australian CVO, 08 9368 3379
Dr Will Andrew, Australian Capital Territory CVO, 02 6207 2357
Dr Kurt Zuelke, Australian Animal Health Laboratories, 03 5227 5511
Dr Eva-Maria Bernoth, Animal Health Australia, 02 6203 3944
Dr Andrew Cupit, Animal Biosecurity, DAFF, 02 6272 5444
Ms Joanne Nathan, SEWPaC, 02 6275 9252
Dr Phoebe Readford, Secretary, Animal Health Committee, 02 6272 4532