abare.gov.au - National Outlook Conference 3-4 March 2009

LAST UPDATED

28.05.2009 9:05 AM

Home

Program

Conference information

Media

Conference partners

Contact

Speaker/Chair information

Day 1 – Tuesday 3 March

Royal

Bradman

Menzies

Nicholls

9.00 – 9.30am

Welcome to Country

Matilda House
Ngambri Elder

Opening address

The Hon Tony Burke MP
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries
and Forestry

The Hon Tony Burke MP Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Tony Burke was elected to Australian Parliament in 2004 as the Member for Watson. Tony has a background in small business and industrial relations. He was a founding director of Aticus Pty Ltd and later worked as a union official for the SDA. On election to the Australian Parliament in 2004, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Small Business. In June 2005, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Immigration. This portfolio was expanded to Immigration, Integration and Citizenship in December 2006. Following election of a new Labor Government in November 2007, the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, gave Tony the honour of being named Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Rudd Government's first Cabinet. On 5 December 2007 Tony was sworn in as a Minister of the Crown by His Excellency the Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery. Before entering Federal Parliament, Tony served as a member of the NSW Legislative Council. During his time there he chaired the NSW State Development Committee, conducting inquiries into Ports Infrastructure and into Science and its Commercialisation in NSW.

9.45 – 11.00am

Economic overview

Chair: Michael Pascoe
BusinessDay.com.au

Chair: Michael Pascoe BusinessDay.com.au

Michael Pascoe is one of Australia's most respected and experienced finance and economics commentators with 35 years in newspaper, broadcast and online journalism. Michael is seen on Channel 7’s Sunrise and news programs, is Associate Editor of Alan Kohler’s EurekaReport.com.au, Contributing Editor for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age BusinessDay.com.au sites and is a weekly finance columnist for Yahoo7, among other things. Born and educated in Queensland, he started his career with The Courier-Mail before working in Hong Kong for three years. He joined the Australian Financial Review in Sydney upon returning to Australia and then pioneered specialist finance journalism in commercial broadcasting - first with the Macquarie Radio network, then with Channel 9, Sky News and Channel 7. Michael has four sons, maintains a love of rugby union, a dislike of gardening and what he calls "an outlook of optimistic scepticism".

Phillip Glyde
ABARE
Outlook for Australia's commodity sector

Phillip Glyde ABARE

Phillip Glyde is Executive Director of ABARE, which provides economic policy analysis and forecasts to enhance the competitiveness of Australia’s agricultural, fishing, forestry, energy and minerals industries. Phillip’s work with the Australian Government for the past 28 years has been in natural resource management, and environment and industry issues in both the domestic and international spheres. Phillip has a degree in Natural Resource Management with honours from the University of New England and a Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University.

Andrew Burns
The World Bank
World economy – the way forward

Andrew Burns The World Bank

Andrew Burns is a Lead Economist with the World Bank’s Development Prospects Group. He is Economic Advisor to the Director and task manager of the World Bank's flagship publication, Global Economic Prospects, which last year focused on technology diffusion in the developing world. Currently Andrew is leading the team preparing the next Global Economic Prospects, which will focus on the role of commodities in developing economies. Previously he oversaw the production of the Global Economic Outlook, the World Bank's biannual world forecast published in Global Economic Prospects and Global Development Finance. Before joining the World Bank, Mr Burns worked with the OECD where he was Head of Desk for the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and France. His principal responsibilities included supervising and writing the OECD's economic surveys for these countries. He also played a lead role in the OECD's jobs study, overseeing the evaluation of labour market policies in each of the organization's 30 member countries. Prior to joining the OECD, Mr Burns worked at the Economic Council of Canada where he wrote on labour market and macroeconomic issues. He holds degrees from the University of Manitoba and McGill University in Canada.

Alan Oster
National Australia Bank
Outlook for the Australian economy

Alan Oster National Australia Bank

Alan Oster is National Australia Bank’s (NAB) Group Chief Economist. He joined the bank in 1992 from the Federal Treasury where he worked for 15 years - his special field being economic forecasting and monetary policy. Prior to joining NAB, Alan was the Senior Adviser in Treasury responsible for economic forecasting and modelling. In 1987 he was seconded for nearly four years as Counsellor-Economic and Financial with Australia’s delegation to the OECD in Paris. As Group Chief Economist, Alan is responsible for NAB’s global economic and financial forecasts. He is a highly respected and much quoted commentator on Australian and global economic trends and policy issues. He holds a degree in economics (first class honours) and a Masters degree in economics from the Australian National University.

11.00 – 11.30am

Morning tea

11.30 – 12.45pm

Farm performance:
building sustainable agriculture

Wine: opportunities
and challenges

Delivering R&D effectively

Chair: Neville Smith
Bureau of Meteorology

Chair: Neville Smith Bureau of Meteorology

Dr Neville Smith is the Acting Director at the Bureau of Meteorology. Previously, he was Chief Scientist and head of the Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre, prior to the creation of the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research. As a scientist, Neville played a key role in the development of ocean and climate prediction systems and has worked with the international community in the development of ocean observing systems for climate. He initiated and led the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment. He is a member of the CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship Advisory Committee; the Australian Integrated Marine Observing System Advisory Board; the NCRIS National Computing Infrastructure Steering Committee; and the National Committee for Earth System Science. He was elected to the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2005.

Chair: Michael Pascoe
BusinessDay.com.au

Chair: Michael Pascoe BusinessDay.com.au

Michael Pascoe is one of Australia's most respected and experienced finance and economics commentators with 35 years in newspaper, broadcast and online journalism. Michael is seen on Channel 7’s Sunrise and news programs, is Associate Editor of Alan Kohler’s EurekaReport.com.au, Contributing Editor for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age BusinessDay.com.au sites and is a weekly finance columnist for Yahoo7, among other things. Born and educated in Queensland, he started his career with The Courier-Mail before working in Hong Kong for three years. He joined the Australian Financial Review in Sydney upon returning to Australia and then pioneered specialist finance journalism in commercial broadcasting - first with the Macquarie Radio network, then with Channel 9, Sky News and Channel 7. Michael has four sons, maintains a love of rugby union, a dislike of gardening and what he calls "an outlook of optimistic scepticism".

Chair: Stephen Hunter
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Stephen Hunter Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Stephen Hunter is a Deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). He has oversight of the department’s sustainable resource management, agricultural productivity and trade and market access responsibilities. Since joining DAFF in 2006, Stephen has also held the positions of Executive Director of the Bureau of Rural Sciences and of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service. He joined the public service in 1983 and has worked in the areas of natural resource management, conservation and regional development as well as disability, housing, community development and disaster recovery. Stephen also spent more than 10 years involved in the administration of the Australian Capital Territory, before and after self-government, prior to which he had tentative careers in the mining industry, photo-journalism and music. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the Australian National University in political science and sociology.

Jammie Penm
ABARE
Australian farm
performance and implications for the future

Jammie Penm ABARE

As ABARE’s Chief Commodity Analyst, Jammie Penm’s professional expertise and achievements revolve around economic research and commodity analysis which are important to the Australian primary industries. In addition to commodity analysis and forecasting, Jammie also manages ABARE’s program of farm surveys, including both survey collection and survey data analysis. Besides his work at ABARE, Jammie has also been involved with activity in academic institutes. Between 1998 and 2004, he was a member of the Advisory Board of the Asian Agribusiness Research Centre at the University of Sydney. Currently, he is an associate PhD supervisor at the Faculty of Rural Management, Charles Sturt University and a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre of AusAsia Business Studies at James Cook University. Jammie has a PhD in econometrics from the Australian National University and a master’s degree in economics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Before joining ABARE, Jammie worked at the Australian National University, the former Industries Assistance Commission and the State University of New York at Stony Brook in the United States.

Brenda Dyack
ABARE
Outlook for wine grapes
and wine

Brenda Dyack ABARE

Brenda Dyack is an ABARE senior economist with 15 years of experience in demand analysis and natural resource economics in both Canada and Australia. Brenda has been working with ABARE’s natural resource and agriculture branches for the past year. In this role she draws on her recent water policy work with the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as well as her research estimating benefits to alternative water management options for the Murray-Darling Basin undertaken while at the CSIRO. Also relevant at this time in Australia is her research into the determinants of the demand for wine with particular emphasis on the impact of changing health information and demographics on preferences. Throughout her career Brenda’s efforts have been directed to undertaking policy relevant research, integrating biophysical information with economic analysis and interpreting research results for policy purposes. Her experience in economic policy analysis extends from water management and wine demand to oil pricing, mineral supply, determinants of regional economic growth, agro-forestry viability and the impact of taxation and bio-security on producers. She has worked with the Allen Consulting Group, the Ontario Ministry of Finance, the Economic Council of Canada and the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament in Canada. Brenda has a PhD in Agricultural Economics and Business from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada where she specialised in price analysis for wine and marketing with further fields in natural resource economics and environmental economics. Brenda also holds masters and honours degrees in Economics from Guelph.

Glen Weir
Department of Primary Industries and Resources SA
The national primary industries research, development and extension framework

Glen Weir Department of Primary Industries and Resources SA

Glen Weir is the Director of Innovation Development for the South Australian Government’s Department of Primary Industries and Resources. He is involved in the National Primary Industries Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Framework which aims to achieve a more efficient and effective RD&E system through research capability creating a larger critical mass and being less fragmented across the nation. His particular interest is the review of wine sector RD&E. Glen has a background in economic policy and legislative development in the South Australian Government and a background in financial management and competition regulation in the Australian Government and holds tertiary qualifications in accountancy and economics.

Peter Kenny
Expert Social Panel
Changing perspectives
on dryness

Peter Kenny Expert Social Panel

Peter Kenny recently chaired the Australian Government’s Policy Review Expert Social Panel which was part of the government’s national review of drought policy. He also chaired the Queensland Government’s Wild Dog Management Strategy in 2008. Peter has been a member of the board of the National Farmers’ Federation since 2006 and was President of AgForce from October 2004 until September 2008. He has served as AgForce Cattle president, as a member of AgForce State Council and was on the AgForce State executive committee from 1999 to 2008. Earlier, Peter was a councillor and secretary of the Cattlemen’s Union of Australia and its representative on the AgForce Unity Working Group established to oversee the formation of AgForce Queensland. Peter is a keen advocate for adopting picture approaches to agripolitics and has driven projects such as the Every family needs a farmer campaign and the Blueprint for the bush.

James Lovell
Foster's Group
Challenges abroad for Australia wine exporters

James Lovell Foster's Group

James Lovell is Director Global Supply Chain Planning for Foster’s Group Limited and Vice-President Global Supply Chain Planning for Foster’s Wine Estates. He has played a leading role in major change programs related to the company’s supply chain and information systems infrastructure, as well as driving the establishment of a sophisticated, globally coordinated sales and operations planning (S&OP) function. His function encompasses demand and supply planning, product strategy and returns analysis, bulk wine management, long-term supply planning, group infrastructure and capital expenditure - across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Americas.

Keith Perrett
Producer, NSW
End user perspective

Keith Perret Producer, NSW

Keith Perrett manages a family farming operation of 1000 hectares near Gunnedah in the north-west slopes and plains region of New South Wales. The principal operation is cropping, producing both winter and summer crops, as well as beef cattle and prime lambs. He has been involved in farmer representation since July 1996 and has held various positions with the NSW Farmers Association, including board member and serving on a number of committees including farm chemicals, economics and grains, which he chaired. He was also Chairman of the Wheat Research Foundation of NSW until September 2007. At a national level he has been a board member of the National Farmers Federation and chaired its trade committee. He served as senior vice president of the Grains Council of Australia in 2000 and was elected president in 2001, a position he held until his retirement in April 2005. Keith is currently Chairman of the National Rural Advisory Council and the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

David Brownhill
Producer, NSW
Planning for success

David Brownhill Producer, NSW

David Brownhill jointly manages the Merrilong Pastoral Company, comprising five properties covering 4735 hectares, which focus on dryland and irrigated grain production. His key interests are no-till farming, controlled traffic farming systems and high value crops. David is also a founding director of a grower group of 24 farms, AMPS Commercial Pty Ltd, which is committed to information dissemination, structured farming and returning profits to research. He is a director of Crop Optics Australia, which imports innovative farming equipment from the US, most notably the Weedseeker, which is radically changing no-till spraying practices in Australia. In 1995 David co-developed the Ground Hound Zero till planter, which enabled crops to be planted in heavy residues from previous crops, an innovation led to his receiving a Nuffield Scholarship in 1998 to study spraying technology and business management. David completed a Bachelor of Applied Science - Agriculture degree at Hawkesbury Ag College and graduated with awards in leadership and sportsmanship.

Jim Caddy
CCW Co-operative
Growing grapes in a drier, competitive climate

Jim Caddy CCW Co-operative

Jim Caddy is a wine-grape grower and the current Chairman of CCW Co-operative Ltd, a grape supply cooperative in the Riverland region of South Australia. CCW Co-operative Ltd has 720 members and supplies approximately 11 per cent of Australia’s wine grapes. During Jim’s time as chairman, CCW Co-operative Ltd has embarked on an extensive program to enable their growers to meet the demands of the modern wine-grape grower. Jim is Deputy Chairman of the Grape and Wine Research Development Corporation and a Director of the International Wine Investment Fund and the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of SA.

Michael Robinson
Land & Water Australia
Climate change research
strategy for primary industries

Michael Robinson Land & Water Australia

Dr Michael Robinson was appointed as Executive Director of Land & Water Australia in November 2006, and has worked in research, communication, business development and policy, both in Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining Land & Water Australia, Michael was Chief Executive Officer with the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting and has previously worked with CSIRO. Trained as a scientist with CSIRO and the University of Melbourne, his PhD examined the sustainability of using wastes to fertilise plantation forests. Michael currently leads the National Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries, and is a member of the Primary Industries Standing Committee Research and Development Sub-committee.

SESSION SPONSOR – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

12.45 – 2.00pm

Lunch

2.00 – 3.30pm

Grains: a changing environment

Horticulture: facing
the challenges

Dairy: milking the market

Chair: Peter Reading
Grains Research and Development Corporation

Chair: Peter Reading Grains Research and Development Corporation

Peter Reading has been the Managing Director of the Grains Research and Development Corporation in Canberra since February 2004. Peter graduated from the University of Sydney with an honours degree in agricultural science. He commenced post graduate studies in agronomy before leaving university to work for American Cyanamid in Australia, Asia and the United States; Incitec in Australia; and British Oxygen Group Asia and the Grain Pool in Western Australia.

Chair: John Webster
Horticulture Australia

John Webster Horticulture Australia

John Webster joined Horticulture Australia in May 2001 as the inaugural Managing Director. He has focussed on improving the commercial return from industry investment in horticulture R&D and marketing levies, initiating key across-industry strategic initiatives while developing strong relationships with peak industry bodies and government. John’s time with Horticulture Australia has seen the company grow around 90 per cent to a current annual budget of $93 million. At the same time, significant efficiency gains have been generated within internal operations and external reviews of the company’s investment performance in R&D and marketing demonstrate very positive economic, environmental and social returns. John holds a Bachelor of Economics.

Chair: Leigh Radford
ABC Rural

Leigh Radford ABC Rural

Leigh Radford is the current National Editor of ABC Rural and joined the ABC as Rural Reporter in Melbourne in February 1988. He has worked at ABC regional stations in Horsham, Sale and Port Pirie and was the Executive Producer of ABC Rural programs in South Australia from 1997 until 2005. Up until January 2005, Leigh had been the voice of the Country Hour in South Australia since the early 1990s and has broadcast programs from literally right across the state and into the outback. Leigh is a multi-award winning broadcaster, with a number of Dalgety Awards for Excellence in Rural Journalism, including the national award winner in 1992; several Landcare awards, and was the inaugural winner of the Telstra Rural Journalist of the year award in 1996. His background is in environmental sciences and he has an Honours degree in Biogeography. Leigh is passionate about the people and issues of rural Australia and has a great love of the environment.

Leanne Lawrance
ABARE
Outlook for grains

Leanne Lawrance ABARE

Leanne Lawrance is a Commodity Analyst with ABARE and is currently acting co-manager of the agricultural commodity analysis section and has worked in the commodity forecasting group since joining ABARE in early 2004. Leanne is involved in ABARE’s grains industry analysis and instrumental in producing ABARE’s Australian crop report and the quarterly Australian commodities publications. Leanne has a Degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of New England, Armidale.

Brent Borrell
Centre for International Economics
Future focus – horticulture industry facing the
challenges to 2020

Brent Borrell Centre for International Economics

Brent Borrell is Managing Director of the Centre for International Economics (TheCIE.com.au). He has built up a thorough understanding of the economic and institutional workings of markets through his career as a private consultant and as an analyst at the World Bank. He has worked for a wide range of clients in the private and public sector in Australia and around the world. Brent has conducted comprehensive reviews of many economic issues in many countries on topics such as agricultural production, marketing and trade, energy markets, metal manufacturing; R&D evaluations, foreign investment, governance and institution building, aviation, shipping, immigration, urban transport and water pricing. He has worked in the United States, various countries of the European Community, Switzerland, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, India, Iran, Macedonia, Mauritius, Nepal, the Philippines, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand. In addition to many publicly available reports, in recent times Brent has worked on mining tenements, the EU/Central American WTO Banana case, forestry and sugar in Queensland, a biosecurity strategy, a horticultural strategic plan, nutrition and health labelling and the export market development scheme.

John Hogan
ABARE
Outlook for dairy

John Hogan ABARE

John Hogan is currently acting General Manager of ABARE’s Agriculture and Trade Branch, with responsibility for research and commodity forecasting related to domestic and international agriculture. He has more than 30 years’ experience in conducting and managing commodity analysis, forecasting and economic research in ABARE and the former Bureau of Agricultural Economics. This has covered a range of agricultural industries such as dairy, beef, sheep meat, pigs, poultry and crops. John was responsible for managing ABARE’s minerals and energy commodity analysis work from 1990 to 2002, covering all of the major commodities such as aluminium, base metals, gold, coal, oil and gas, iron and steel, nickel, titanium minerals and coal. He has considerable involvement in range of ABARE's regular publications such as Australian commodities, Australian crop report and Australian food statistics, which cover the main statistics for these industries and provide commodity outlooks and overviews on the contribution of the agricultural sector to the Australian economy. Over the past year John has also been heavily involved in redeveloping ABARE's corporate database which is used extensively for ABARE's regular publications.

William and Olga Liefert
USDA (DVD presentation)
Grains production prospects in Russia and Ukraine

	William Liefert United States Department of Agriculture

William Liefert is a senior agricultural economist with the Market and Trade Economics Division of the Economic Research Service, USDA, based in Washington, DC. He specializes in agriculture in Russia and the other countries of the former Soviet Union, as well as macroeconomic and trade issues as related to agriculture. Bill has been a consultant with the Agriculture Directorate of OECD and World Bank, and recently worked on the Bank project that measured distortions to agricultural incentives. He has a PhD in Economics from the University of Michigan.

	Olga Liefert United States Department of Agriculture

Olga Liefert is an economist with the Market and Trade Economics Division of the Economic Research Service, USDA, based in Washington, DC. She is a world grains analyst, with special expertise on Russia and the other countries of the former Soviet Union, and participates in United States Department of Agriculture’s monthly forecasting of world grain production and trade. Olga has been a consultant with the Agriculture Directorate of OECD and FAO, and was co-author of the Russia chapter for the recent World Bank project on measuring distortions to agricultural incentives. She has a PhD in Economics from Moscow State University.

Industry Leadership Group

Judith Damiani
Citrus Australia

Judith Damiani Citrus Australia

Judith Damiani is the Chief Executive Officer of Citrus Australia Ltd located in Mildura, Victoria. Citrus Australia is a national peak industry body representing commercial citrus growers, recognised by the Australian Government for setting national research & development (R&D), marketing and biosecurity levies. Judith was appointed as Executive Director of Australian Citrus Growers Inc in July 2000 after six years experience within the Australian citrus industry. This involved the relocation of the office from Adelaide to Mildura in 2001 whilst implementing changes arising from the new Constitution, including strategic and operational arrangements of a new Board. Judith was involved with the restructure of the national peak body into Citrus Australia Ltd in October 2008 after three years of industry consultation. Judith has assisted industry with a strategic approach to export market access and development (phytosanitary; non-phytosanitary; marketing; science and policy platforms): Australian citrus was granted access to South Korea in 2000 & China in October 2005. Trade/protocol improvements have been made in the USA, Japan and Taiwan. Judith was invited onto the national fruit fly steering committee in 2006 which has resulted in the development of the current National Fruit Fly Strategy. Judith is currently a member of the Future Focus Leadership Group and has had the pleasure of speaking at the Quarantine and Market Access Conference in Canberra in 2001 and 2003; the ABARE Outlook Conference in 2007; and was invited guest speaker at the International Citrus Forum, China 2008. Judith holds Bachelor degrees in Science and Business, is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is an Australian Institute of Management Member.

David de Paoli
Austchilli

David de Paoli Austchilli

David De Paoli is the Owner and Managing Director of Austchilli P/L, and has built from the ground up Australia’s premier vertically integrated farming and value adding export operation located in Bundaberg. Austchilli supplies over 90% of Australia’s fresh chilli produce via nation wide fresh market network with national contracts. Austchilli also produces a range of chilli, herb, fruit and vegetable ingredient purees to major manufacturers in the domestic market as well as exporting to 12 countries internationally. With Austchilli’s continued success, David now has more time to work on his business rather than in it. This also gives him time to share his 30 years of horticultural industry knowledge and experience with the community. David sits as chairman on several industry organisations both locally and nationally. He is also an advisor on State Government committees providing recommendations to QDPI&F and QDTRDI.

Tony Ford
McCain Foods

Tony Ford McCain Foods

Tony Ford is a Director of McCain Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd, McCain Foods (NZ) Ltd and Safries Pty Ltd, which produce frozen products including French fries, specialty potato products, vegetables (including peas, beans, carrots, corn and brassicas), frozen meals and pizza products. McCain Foods is the largest supplier of French fries worldwide with sales of $6 billion and 55 plant operations on six continents. Tony is the senior executive responsible for all aspects of the supply of raw vegetables to five plants in Australia and New Zealand. He is currently a Director on McCain Foods Superannuation Committee, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, on the board of McCain Foods Ltd Corporate Learning Centre and McCain Foods’ International Agricultural Directors Council. He has worked with McCain Foods for 26 years in positions including manufacturing and agricultural management in Australia in four states and in New Zealand. He has been directly involved internationally with the development of McCain manufacturing in South Africa and the development and establishment of the agricultural base and manufacturing facilities in north east China. Tony holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

Importance of future focus to the industry

Tassos Haniotis
European Commission
Future directions in EU dairy policy and the implications for EU dairy exports

Tassos Haniotis European Commission

Tassos Haniotis is Head of the Agricultural Policy Analysis and Perspectives unit in the Directorate General for Agriculture of the European Commission. Prior to this, he was head of the Agricultural Trade Policy Analysis unit in the same Directorate General, with responsibility for preparing the 2003 Common Agricultural Policy reform. He has previously held posts as a member, and subsequently deputy head, of the Cabinet of former European Commissioner for Agriculture Franz Fischler (responsible for the agricultural chapter of the Doha WTO Round and the EU-Mercosur negotiations), and Agricultural Counsellor of the European Commission’s Delegation in the United States. Tassos holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Georgia, USA. He spent six months as a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for European Agricultural Studies, Wye College, University of London in 1988, where he studied EU-US agricultural trade relations in the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations.

Mike Chaseling
Emerald Group
Coping in the
deregulated market

Mike Chaseling Emerald Group

Mike Chaseling was appointed Deputy Chairman of Emerald in October 2007 following three years as a founding executive director. Mike is the Deputy Chairman of Emerald’s Victorian joint venture company Southern Quality Produce Pty Ltd and Chairman of Emerald’s South Australian joint venture EP Grain Pty Ltd which commenced operations on 1 July 2008 and has achieved a 15 percent market share in its first season of operations. Emerald is an accredited wheat exporter under the new wheat export regulations, is accredited for the bulk export of barley from South Australia by ESCOSA and has been granted export barley licenses in Western Australia. Mike is a Director of the Australian grain industry’s representative body, Grain Trade Australia Ltd (formally the National Agricultural Commodities Marketing Association (NACMA)) and is a registered trade arbitrator and Chairman of NACMA’s Corporate Governance Committee. He has around 20 years experience in the Australian grains industry and has held senior management and senior trading roles at a number of national and international corporations, including the Australian Wheat Board, ConAgra Inc’s Australian subsidiary ConAgra Trade Group, and NETCO Ltd, a peak marketing cooperative representing nine grain marketing cooperatives nationally.

Mike Ginnivan
Dairy Australia
The future direction and issues for Australia's dairy industry

Mike Ginnivan Dairy Australia

Dr Mike Ginnivan is an experienced agribusiness executive and came to the position of CEO of Dairy Australia in July 2003. Prior to this, Mike had an extensive career in senior management roles with international and Australian companies, including Bunge Industrial Pty Ltd (meat, smallgoods, and industrial cereals), Tassal Ltd (aquaculture), and Sirius Biotechnology Ltd. Early in his career, Mike worked for Victoria’s then Department of Agriculture as a research scientist.

Harvey Glick
Monsanto
Improving grain production systems

Harvey Glick Monsanto Company

Harvey Glick has been actively involved in agriculture for more than 30 years and is currently Director of Scientific Affairs for Asia. After completing his formal education Harvey joined the Canadian Wheat Board, an organization involved in international grain marketing and in 1985, he joined Monsanto. During his time with Monsanto, he has held a variety of positions in the technology, commercial development and marketing organizations. He has visited and worked in agricultural production systems in many different regions of the world with the objective of bringing new agricultural technology to producers. Harvey is chairman of Biotechnology for the Asia Food Information Council and chairman of the Global Herbicide Resistance Committee. He is also active in CropLife Asia and the International Life Science Organization for South East Asia. He studied agronomy at McGill University in Montreal where he received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. He obtained his masters degree in plant physiology at the University of Manitoba and received his PhD at the University of Manitoba on a full scholarship in the area of plant physiology and biology. He has also completed an executive business management program at the University of Western Ontario.

SESSION SPONSOR: Grains Research & Development Corporation

3.30 – 4.00pm

Afternoon tea

4.00 – 5.30pm

Water future: supply and reform

Agriculture's entry
into emissions trading

Biosecurity

New and emerging industries

Chair: Ken Matthews
National Water Commission

Ken Matthews National Water Commission

Ken Matthews has been the Chair and Chief Executive of the National Water Commission since March 2005. He was previously the Secretary of the Department of Transport and Regional Services and the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. His academic background is in economics, majoring in government and he is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration and the Australian Institute of Management. In 2001 Ken received a Centenary Medal for services to public administration and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2005.

Chair: Martin Parkinson
Department of Climate Change

Martin Parkinson Department of Climate Change

Dr Martin Parkinson was appointed Secretary of the Department of Climate Change on its establishment on 3 December 2007. His appointment follows six years as Deputy Secretary in Treasury with responsibility for domestic and international macroeconomic issues and as Deputy Secretary of the Climate Change Group in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, with responsibility for leading and coordinating implementation of the emissions trading scheme and coordinating climate change policy. Martin was Australia’s G-20, IMFC and Development Committee Deputy and Co-chair of the G-20 Deputies process in 2006. He has also worked at the International Monetary Fund on the reform of international financial architecture. In the early 1990s he served as Senior Adviser to Treasurer Dawkins and has also worked for Treasurers Kerin and Willis. He holds a PhD from Princeton University, a Master of Economics from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Economics(Hons) from the University of Adelaide.

Chair: Rob Delane
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service

Rob Delane Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service

Rob Delane is the Executive Director of AQIS and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. He has extensive experience in the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, most recently as Deputy Director General (Biosecurity and Research). His national roles include a directorship of Plant Health Australia and membership of the Quarantine and Exports Advisory Council. He has an Master of Science in Agriculture and Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (with honours) from the University of Western Australia. Rob received a Public Service Medal in 2007 for outstanding public service to the agriculture industries and the community of Western Australia.

Chair: Leigh Radford
ABC Rural

Leigh Radford ABC Rural

Leigh Radford is the current National Editor of ABC Rural and joined the ABC as Rural Reporter in Melbourne in February 1988. He has worked at ABC regional stations in Horsham, Sale and Port Pirie and was the Executive Producer of ABC Rural programs in South Australia from 1997 until 2005. Up until January 2005, Leigh had been the voice of the Country Hour in South Australia since the early 1990s and has broadcast programs from literally right across the state and into the outback. Leigh is a multi-award winning broadcaster, with a number of Dalgety Awards for Excellence in Rural Journalism, including the national award winner in 1992; several Landcare awards, and was the inaugural winner of the Telstra Rural Journalist of the year award in 1996. His background is in environmental sciences and he has an Honours degree in Biogeography. Leigh is passionate about the people and issues of rural Australia and has a great love of the environment.

Peter Gooday
ABARE
The economic impacts of reduced water availability

Peter Gooday ABARE

Peter Gooday is responsible for leading ABARE’s research on productivity, water and fisheries. ABARE’s work in this area is focused on providing analysis and policy advice across the areas of water reform, fisheries management, and agricultural productivity growth. Peter has been involved in a broad range of research and analysis, including: fisheries management, policy and trade; water market reform; economic issues associated with native forestry; meeting environmental objectives cost effectively as well issues affecting international and domestic mineral industries and commodity analysis. He has a Degree in Economics with honours from the Australian National University.

Melanie Ford
ABARE
Agriculture: moving
towards emissions trading

Melanie Ford ABARE

Melanie Ford is the manager of the Climate Change Section in the Climate Change and Environment Branch of ABARE. Melanie is responsible for managing economic research and analysis on domestic and international climate change and energy issues using ABARE’s Global Trade and Environment Model (GTEM) and the Global Integrated Assessment Model (GIAM). She has published a number of research reports, conference papers and journal articles on climate change impacts, climate change response policies and integrated assessment modelling. Melanie has a Degree in Agricultural Economics with first class honours from the University of Sydney.

Mark Burgman
Australian Centre of Excellence for Risk Analysis
Disease incursion under climate change

Mark Burgman Australian Centre of Excellence for Risk Analysis

Mark A Burgman is Director of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Risk Analysis, the Adrienne Clarke Chair of Botany at the University of Melbourne and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. He works on ecological modelling and biosecurity risk analysis. Mark’s research has included models in a range of settings including invasive species management, surveillance, fisheries, forestry, irrigation, electrical power utilities, mining, and national park planning. Mark worked as a consultant ecologist and research scientist in Australia, the United States and Switzerland during the 1980s before joining the University of Melbourne in 1990. He holds a PhD from the State University of New York and received a bachelors’ degree from the University of New South Wales. He has published six books and more than 150 research papers in peer reviewed journals.

Roslyn Prinsley
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
Success factors for new and emerging rural industries

Roslyn Prinsley Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

Dr Roslyn Prinsley is General Manager of New Rural Industries, at the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) in Canberra. She also chairs Bioenergy Australia, the national steering committees for R&D planning for new and emerging industries and bioenergy and biofuels, and a number of R&D Advisory Committees. Previously, Roslyn held a number of positions at RIRDC. Roslyn was also a Senior Research Scientist at BRS, and was the Program Manager for Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, representing Australia, at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. During this time she worked in 24 countries and had the role of providing scientific advice to the Commonwealth Secretary General. Roslyn holds a Bachelor of Science, a Diploma of Education, a PhD, and a Masters in Intellectual Property Law. She has also published over 70 books and reports.

Tom Vanderbyl
SunWater
The Queensland experience with capacity sharing

Tom Vanderbyl SunWater

Mr Tom Vanderbyl is Manager Corporate Strategy for SunWater Limited. Over the past decade, he has taken a leading role within Queensland in the planning and delivery of water reforms relating to the sustainable allocation of water, establishing tradeable water entitlements and providing water for the environment. Mr Vanderbyl has also been instrumental in working with water users, government agencies and the water industry to develop climate variability and change adaptation strategies including new water information and forecasting tools as well as innovative water sharing, trading and water accounting arrangements such as continuous sharing. He is an active participant in national water reform processes and enjoys providing a water industry practitioner’s perspective as a member of the National Water Accounting Development Committee and the Australian Water Resource Information System Steering Committee. He maintains a keen interest in promoting research, development and innovation initiatives which relate to improving the sustainability and productivity of the water industry and is actively involved in the Irrigation Futures, E-Water and Cotton Cooperative Research Centres as well as being a member of the National Program for Sustainable Irrigation (NPSI) Program Management Committee. Mr Vanderbyl recently worked with the Australian Government Department of Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts to provide expert advice and recommendations to the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources in relation to the development and implementation of a national Water Entitlement Trading Framework for China.

Jenny O'Sullivan
Producer, Vic
Carbon pollution reduction efforts - innovative farm practices

Jenny O'Sullivan Producer, Vic

Jenny O’Sullivan lives on a family farm at Tarwin Lower with husband Paul and three children, Clive, James and Alex. They run a 450 beef herd and 2000 ewes to breed prime lambs. Jenny and Paul put an environmental management system in place for their property in 2002. Jenny runs her own business, Linking Environment Agriculture and People. She is a director of Gippsland Natural Pty Ltd, a producer driven beef alliance and is on the executive of Working With People, a company geared to develop human potential in rural Australia. Jenny has been actively involved in establishing two beef brands, Gippsland Natural and Enviromeat, both underpinned by Meat Standards Australia and Enviromeat underpinned by an ISO aligned EMS. She runs the head office for Enviromeat and she was recognised with the DPI Hugh McKay future farming award for her work with Enviromeat in 2007. In 2008 Jenny was awarded the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authorities Lyrebird Award and placed on the Gippsland Women’s’ honour role for her work in the area of advancement of Agriculture and her work to protect and enhance the regions natural resources.

Roger Beale
Allen Consulting Group
Findings and implications of the Review

Roger Beale Allen Consulting Group

Roger Beale is a senior associate with the Allen Consulting Group. He chaired the independent review of Australian quarantine and biosecurity arrangements in 2008, which produced the report One biosecurity: A working partnership. The Australian Government has accepted in principle, subject to budgetary processes, the report’s 84 recommendations. Roger has considerable experience at senior levels in the private and public sectors. He has served on the boards of a number of major companies, on statutory boards and as an adviser to the Australian and Chinese Governments. He is an economist and has served as President of the Economic Society (ACT).

Paul Miller
Australian Olive Association
Pressing the fresh: Australia's growing olive industry

Paul Miller Australian Olive Association

Paul Miller has been President of the Australian Olive Association (AOA) since 2001. Since 1986, he has held various technical, consulting and business roles and is now a director and shareholder in several agricultural companies in the olive and wine sectors. He also spent 10 years as a scientist in research with the Victorian Department of Agriculture (Knoxfield). As President of the AOA, Paul has worked to help the industry deal with the transition from a boutique industry to a diverse and commercial part of Australian agriculture spread across six states. The challenges have included issues of critical mass, marketing in unfairly regulated markets, product quality definition and differentiation, government relations, formation of international links, industry funding and industry cohesion on collective issues. Paul has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from La Trobe University.

Bill Young
CSIRO
Nature of environmental demands for water

Bill Young CSIRO

Dr Bill Young is the Theme Leader, Healthy Water Ecosystems, Water for a Healthy Country Flagship at CSIRO. In this role, Bill oversees CSIRO’s water ecosystem research on national high priority issues in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, south-east Queensland, the Murray-Darling Basin and south-west Western Australia. Bill’s professional experience includes development of nutrient and sediment budgets and hydrologic and river health assessments for the National Land and Water Resources Audit; development of the Murray Flows Assessment Tool and other decision support systems; and most recently, leading the assessment and reporting of current and future water availability in the Murray-Darling Basin to the National Water Commission (the Murray-Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project). Bill has led many scientific panels providing advice to governments on environmental flows and river health. He is currently a member of the Scientific Advisory Panel to the Lake Eyre Basin Ministerial Forum and the Scientific Reference Panel for the Living Murray Initiative. For the last decade Bill has also undertaken international advisory work in environmental flows and integrated water resources management for the World Bank and international non-government organisations.

Ross Garnaut
University of Melbourne
Impacts of climate change
and the emissions trading scheme on agriculture

Ross Garnaut University of Melbourne

Professor Ross Garnaut is a Distinguished Professor of the Australian National University as well as both a Professorial Fellow (Faculty of Economics and Commerce) and a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences of Australia and the only Australian to be appointed as an Honorary Professor of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. For more than three decades, Professor Garnaut has frequently been consulted on economic and foreign policy at the ministerial, including Prime Ministerial, level in Australia and several other Asia Pacific countries, and has held the post of Australian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (1985-1988). He has recently presented the Garnaut Climate Change Review, which was commissioned by the Australian Government to examine the impacts of climate change on the Australian economy and the potential medium to long-term policies to ameliorate these effects. Professor Garnaut is the author of more than 35 books and numerous influential articles on international economics, public finance and economic development, particularly relating to east Asia and the south-west Pacific. He is currently Chairman of a number of international companies and research organisations, including the International Food Policy Research Institute, and board member of several others.

John Crosby
Quarantine and Exports Advisory Council
Import risks under climate change: future challenges for farmers and policy makers

John Crosby Quarantine and Exports Advisory Council

John Crosby is currently Chairman of the Quarantine and Exports Advisory Council (QEAC). His main occupation is Managing Director of Reclaim Industries which is Australia’s largest fully integrated tyre recycling and rubber surfacing business. In partnership with his wife, Senator Mary Jo Fisher, he runs an irrigation farm at Lucindale in the South East of South Australia, which is South Australia’s largest maize producer. They also run an import/export business which mainly deals in reciprocal trade between Australia and Vietnam, primarily in meat, cashews, sesame seed, Psyllium husk and water crystals. Prior to his current occupation, John was General Manager, Asset Development with Elders. From 1993 to 1995 he was Senior Vice President of the National Farmers Federation. John holds a Graduate Diploma in Agriculture.

Grahame Webb
Wildlife Management International
The emerging Australian crocodile industry

Grahame Webb Wildlife Management International

Grahame Webb is Director of Wildlife Management International Pty. Limited, Adjunct Professor at Charles Darwin University, Chairman of the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Board, Chairman of the IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group, Patron of Field and Game Australia, and a member of both the IUCN-SSC Sustainable Use Specialist Group and the IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group. He is regarded as one of the world’s leading authorities on crocodilian research and management, and on the concept of conserving wildlife through sustainable use. In 2001 Grahame was awarded the Clunies Ross National Science and Technology Award, for his contribution to a new vision for wildlife conservation based on sustainable use. In 2003 he was awarded an Australian Centenary Medal, for his contribution to crocodile research and to the establishment of the Essington School in Darwin. Grahame completed his PhD in Zoology in 1973 and since then has been active in wildlife research, conservation and management, nationally and internationally.

Rob Freeman
Murray-Darling Basin Authority
Towards a new Basin plan

Rob Freeman Murray-Darling Basin Authority

Rob Freeman was appointed Chief Executive of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority in September 2008 and is an experienced senior public administrator. Prior to this appointment, he was Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, which involved participating in many national and inter-jurisdictional committees. He was South Australian Commissioner and Deputy President of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission and chaired the Natural Resources Policy and Programs Committee. From 1998 to 2002 he was Deputy Director General of the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines. In addition to his extensive public service experience, he has held positions in the academic sector and undertaken domestic and international consultancies

Sibylla Hess-Buschmann
Australian Rainforest Products
Growing native: Australia's budding native food industry

Sibylla Hess-Buschmann Australian Rainforest Products

Sibylla Hess-Buschmann is one of the pioneer native food growers in the subtropics of eastern Australia. She is currently Managing Director of Australian Rainforest Products and a Research Officer with the Australian Native Food Industry Limited (ANFIL). Since 1989, she has been at the forefront of the assessment of commercial genetic qualities of various native food species, nursery production methodology and field practises. Sibylla has been Managing Director of Australian Rainforest Products since 1997, which has specialised in growing, processing and marketing

SESSION SPONSOR – Murray-Darling Basin Authority

SESSION SPONSOR – Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

6.30pm for 7.30pm

Conference dinner – National Convention Centre

Day 2 – Wednesday 4 March

Royal

Bradman

Menzies

Nicholls

8.30 – 9.45am

Food security and trade

Competition for
labour resources

Forestry: a carbon locker?

Chair: Conall O'Connell
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Chair: Conall O'Connell Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Dr Conall O’Connell was appointed Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on 7 May 2007. Prior to his appointment, Conall was Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEWR). His responsibilities in that department included overseeing policies and programs relating to natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, the marine environment and protected areas. From 1991 until he joined DEWR in 1997, he held various positions in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where he handled Australian federal-state relations, primary industries and environment policy. He has a PhD and a Bachelor of Arts (first class honours) from the Queen’s University of Belfast.

Chair: Leigh Radford
ABC Rural

Leigh Radford ABC Rural

Leigh Radford is the current National Editor of ABC Rural and joined the ABC as Rural Reporter in Melbourne in February 1988. He has worked at ABC regional stations in Horsham, Sale and Port Pirie and was the Executive Producer of ABC Rural programs in South Australia from 1997 until 2005. Up until January 2005, Leigh had been the voice of the Country Hour in South Australia since the early 1990s and has broadcast programs from literally right across the state and into the outback. Leigh is a multi-award winning broadcaster, with a number of Dalgety Awards for Excellence in Rural Journalism, including the national award winner in 1992; several Landcare awards, and was the inaugural winner of the Telstra Rural Journalist of the year award in 1996. His background is in environmental sciences and he has an Honours degree in Biogeography. Leigh is passionate about the people and issues of rural Australia and has a great love of the environment.

Chair: Ric Sinclair
Forest and Wood Products Australia

Chair: Ric Sinclair Forest and Wood Products Australia

Ric Sinclair was appointed Managing Director of Forest and Wood Products Australia Limited (FWPA) in June 2008. FWPA is owned by the industry and has a mandate for delivering R&D, generic promotion and other services to support a sustainable and internationally competitive forest and wood products industry. Prior to joining FWPA, Ric had senior management experience in corporate strategy, marketing and finance across a range of sectors, including work with Origin Energy, Amcor, PaperlinX, KH Foods and Chiquita Brands. Ric has a forestry degree from Australian National University and a MBA from the University of British Columbia (Canada).

Ken Ash
OECD
Outlook for world food
prices and food security

Ken Ash OECD

Prior to becoming OECD Director of Trade and Agriculture in December 2008, Ken Ash had served as Deputy Director since 1999. Ken played a leading role in the merger of the former Trade and Agriculture directorates in 2006, serving to reinvigorate the key policy contributions of the OECD in the areas of trade, agriculture and fisheries. Ken currently leads OECD efforts to develop and communicate evidence-based advice to governments, with the aim at helping them improve the domestic and international performance of their policies in the areas of trade, agriculture and fisheries. Prior to joining the OECD, Ken had 20 years of extensive experience in the Government of Canada where he held several senior positions in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. As Director General, Economic and Policy Analysis, from 1995-1999, he provided strategic policy guidance on key agriculture and trade policy issues and on government-wide policy and organizational reforms. Ken, a Canadian national, holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and an MBA (International Business and Resource Management).

Denis Hart
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Emerging trends in
Australian labour markets

Denis Hart Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Denis Hart is a team leader in the Occupation and Industry Analysis Section of the Labour Supply and Skills Branch at the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, where he has worked for the past 20 years. Denis is currently involved in preparing projections of employment growth for industries and occupations in order to advise on where the new jobs will be in the future. He is also involved in the analysis of skills issues in Australia, including ICT skill shortages, workforce ageing and job growth by skill level, and preparation of the monthly Vacancy Report. He manages the SkillsInfo website (www.skillsinfo.gov.au), including the Industry Employment Outlooks, the New Jobs report, and Job Outlook (www.joboutlook.gov.au). He is currently facilitating implementation of the new Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) and the analysis and presentation of Census 2006 data. Denis has a Master of Economics degree from the University of Tasmania.

Helal Ahammad
ABARE
Opportunities for Australian forestry under the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

Helal Ahammad ABARE

Dr Helal Ahammad is responsible for ABARE’s research program on Climate Change and Environment. Helal joined ABARE in 2001, prior to which he held research and teaching positions at the Australian National University, the University of Western Australia and Rajshahi University. Over the past decade and a half, he has specialised in analysing issues in the economics of climate change, international trade, resources economics, as well as in the applications of computable general equilibrium models. He has published in international refereed journals including Economic Modelling, Agricultural Economics, Australasian Journal of Regional Studies, Review of Urban and Regional Development Studies and Resources Policy. His current research focus includes climate change impacts analysis, climate change response policies, and land-use change modelling in an economy-wide framework. Helal earned masters and PhD degrees in Economics from the Australian National University.

TJ Higgins
CSIRO
Biotechnology in food
security

TJ Higgins CSIRO

TJ Higgins is Deputy Chief of CSIRO Plant Industry and works on protecting food legumes from insect damage, researching the application of gene technology for plant improvement. His current research is focused on international agriculture with particular emphasis on West Africa and India and he has a special interest in public awareness of science. TJ Higgins has a PhD from the University of California at Davis. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

Arthur Blewitt
AgriFood Skills Australia
Capacity building in Australian agriculture: addressing the challenges

Arthur Blewitt AgriFood Skills Australia

Arthur Blewitt commenced as the inaugural CEO of the AgriFood Industry Skills Council in August 2004. Arthur has a background in executive leadership and management in the public sector and statutory authorities, has worked as a business consultant and held company directorships in banking, R&D and the arts. His roles have involved working with boards, industry and government in developing strategy and policy, building organisational capability, business development, financial management, and governance and compliance. Arthur’s appointments have included Chief General Manager, Department of Communication, Information Technology and the Arts; Chief General Manager and Head, Old Parliament House; Executive Director, CSIRO; General Manager, Human Resources, CSIRO; and Secretary, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Arthur has a Bachelor of Arts (economics and public administration), is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He has completed a number of senior management programs including at Melbourne Business School, University of NSW and a global business program at MIT, Boston.

Budy Resosudarmo
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
The economics of deforestation in Indonesia

Budy Resosudarmo Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies

Budy P Resosudarmo is a Fellow at the Economics Division of the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University (ANU). His research interests include determining the economy-wide impact of environmental policies, analysing the impact of fiscal decentralisation on regional economies and understanding the impact of corruption and illegal activities on the economy and on natural resource endowment. Before joining the ANU, he was a lecturer at the Graduate Program in Economics, University of Indonesia, as well as a researcher at the Indonesian Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology. Budy has published papers in scientific journals such as Economic Record, Ecological Economics and Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies. He edited the book resulted from the 2004 Indonesia Update conference, The Politics and Economics of Indonesia’s Natural Resources. Budy received his PhD in Development Economics from Cornell University.

Terry Sheales
ABARE
Global food security –
an Australian perspective

Terry Sheales ABARE

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics Dr Terry Sheales is ABARE’s Deputy Executive Director with responsibility for management of its research program. He has wide knowledge of the agricultural and resources sectors. Terry has previously been responsible for ABARE’s commodity market analysis and forecasts, working on domestic and international marketing and trade policy issues affecting Australia’s commodity industries. In 2005, he headed up the secretariat which produced the ministerial commissioned Corish Report on agriculture and food policy for the next generation. Terry holds a PhD and masters degree from Cornell University in the United States, where he specialised in industry policy and marketing research. He also holds an honours degree in agricultural economics from the University of New England, Armidale.

Vivek Tulpulé
Rio Tinto
Challenges in global mining

Vivek Tulpulé Rio Tinto

In 2005, Vivek became Head of Economics and Chief Economist for Rio Tinto the global mining company. He began his career as an economist in the Australian Public Service with roles in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Environment and Heritage, and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) where he was Deputy Executive Director from 2003-2005. In his role at Rio Tinto he is responsible for assessing the economic environment in which the company operates. This includes the global macro economy, commodity demand, supply and prices and the implications of global shifts such as climate change. Vivek has degrees from the Australian National University and an MBA from the Melbourne Business School.

Nick O’Brien
New Forests Asset Management
How the changing policy environment will affect the Australian forestry industry

Nick O’Brien New Forests

Nick O’Brien is a leading expert in forestry carbon accounting and leads New Forests’ technical capabilities in forestry estate and carbon modelling. In this role, he is involved in assessing investment opportunities in timberland asset management and developing carbon investment products for regulatory and voluntary markets. Before joining New Forests, Nick was responsible for developing the carbon accounting system that enabled Forests NSW to become one of the first forestry organizations to register as an Abatement Certificate Provider under the New South Wales regulatory carbon scheme. Nick has advised businesses and governments on carbon markets and implications for forestry investment and landscape rehabilitation, and has a Bachelor of Forest Science and a Ph D in forestry from the University of Melbourne.

10.00 – 11.00am

Global trade relationships

Chair: Conall O'Connell
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Forestry

Chair: Conall O'Connell Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Dr Conall O’Connell was appointed Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on 7 May 2007. Prior to his appointment, Conall was Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEWR). His responsibilities in that department included overseeing policies and programs relating to natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, the marine environment and protected areas. From 1991 until he joined DEWR in 1997, he held various positions in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where he handled Australian federal-state relations, primary industries and environment policy. He has a PhD and a Bachelor of Arts (first class honours) from the Queen’s University of Belfast.

The Hon. Simon Crean MP
Minister for Trade

The Hon. Simon Crean Minister for Trade

Prior to his appointment as Trade Minister in December 2007, Simon Crean held a range of Shadow Ministerial positions including: Shadow Trade and Regional Development Minister from December 2006, having been Regional Development Shadow Minister since July 2005, Shadow Trade Minister from October 2004, Shadow Treasurer from December 2003 to October 2004. He was Leader of the Opposition from November 2001 to December 2003, Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Treasurer from October 1998 to November 2001 and Shadow Minister for Industry and Regional Development and Manager of Opposition Business from March 1996 to October 1998. Following his election to Federal Parliament in March 1990 as Member for Hotham, Mr Crean went straight on to the front bench as Minister for Science and Technology in the fourth Hawke Labor Government and later served as Minister for Primary Industries and Energy and Minister for Employment, Education and Training in the Keating Government. Prior to entering Parliament, Mr Crean was President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) from 1985 to 1990, and from 1970-1985, Mr Crean was a full-time trade union official with the Federated Storemen and Packers Union of Australia. Mr Crean has taken an active role within a number of national and international organisations. Until his election to Parliament he was a member of the governing body of the International Labor Organisation, the Economic Planning and Advisory Council, the Rural and Allied Industries Council, the Board of Qantas, the Board of the Australian Industry Development Corporation and the Transport Industry Advisory Council. Mr Crean was born in Melbourne in 1949. He was educated at Melbourne High School and Monash University, and obtained degrees in Economics and Law. In 1973 Mr Crean married Carole Lamb. They have two daughters, Sarah and Emma. The family lives in Melbourne. Mr Crean’s father Frank had a long and distinguished career in the Federal Parliament, and was Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer in the Whitlam Government. Mr Crean is the Patron of the North Melbourne Football Club.

Ministerial address

Pascal Lamy
World Trade Organization
Where to for agriculture and the
environment?

Pascal Lamy World Trade Organization

Mr. Pascal Lamy is Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since September 2005. Mr. Lamy holds degrees from the Paris based Ecole des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC), from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP) and from the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA). He began his career in the French civil service at the Inspection Générale des finances and at the Treasury. He then became an advisor to the Finance Minister Jacques Delors, and subsequently to Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy. In Brussels from 1985 to 1994, Pascal Lamy was Chief of staff for the President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, and his representative as Sherpa in the G7. In November 1994, he joined the team in charge of rescuing Credit Lyonnais, and later became CEO of the bank until its privatisation in 1999. Between 1999 and 2004, Pascal Lamy was Commissioner for Trade at the European Commission under Romano Prodi. After his tenure in Brussels, Pascal Lamy spent a short sabbatical period as President of “Notre Europe”, a think tank working on European integration, as associate Professor at the l’Institut d’études politiques in Paris and as advisor to Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (President of the European Socialist Party).

11.00 – 11.30am

Morning tea

11.30 – 12.45pm

Meat: what's at stake?

Wool: demanding times

Farming in the dry

Chair: David Crombie
National Farmers' Federation

David Crombie National Farmers' Federation

David Crombie was elected President of the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) in June 2006. David brings more than 30 years commercial and representational experience in agriculture to his role as President. Early in his career, he joined Sir William Gunn (now GRM International), managing agricultural projects across northern Australia. Under his leadership, GRM expanded to include breeding properties, irrigation farms, feed mills, live export and meat supply chains supported by feedlots internationally. GRM also managed beef breeding properties for independent investors in Australia. Between 1995 and 2000, David served on the Board of Grainco Australia until its amalgamation with Graincorp. He then joined the board of the Meat Industry Council and served as inaugural Chairman of the National Steering Committee for Meat Standards Australia.He later joined the board of the newly established Meat and Livestock Australia, serving as Chairman from 1998 to 2005. David also holds the following positions: Director GRM and Rosewood (NT Beef); Deputy Chairman, FKP (listed development company); and President, Queensland Rugby Union and operates family properties, breeding and finishing cattle, as well as growing crops in southern Queensland.

Chair: Leigh Radford
ABC Rural

Leigh Radford ABC Rural

Leigh Radford is the current National Editor of ABC Rural and joined the ABC as Rural Reporter in Melbourne in February 1988. He has worked at ABC regional stations in Horsham, Sale and Port Pirie and was the Executive Producer of ABC Rural programs in South Australia from 1997 until 2005. Up until January 2005, Leigh had been the voice of the Country Hour in South Australia since the early 1990s and has broadcast programs from literally right across the state and into the outback. Leigh is a multi-award winning broadcaster, with a number of Dalgety Awards for Excellence in Rural Journalism, including the national award winner in 1992; several Landcare awards, and was the inaugural winner of the Telstra Rural Journalist of the year award in 1996. His background is in environmental sciences and he has an Honours degree in Biogeography. Leigh is passionate about the people and issues of rural Australia and has a great love of the environment.

Chair: Michael Robinson
Land & Water Australia

Chair: Michael Robinson Land & Water Australia

Dr Michael Robinson was appointed as Executive Director of Land & Water Australia in November 2006, and has worked in research, communication, business development and policy, both in Australia and New Zealand. Prior to joining Land & Water Australia, Michael was Chief Executive Officer with the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting and has previously worked with CSIRO. Trained as a scientist with CSIRO and the University of Melbourne, his PhD examined the sustainability of using wastes to fertilise plantation forests. Michael currently leads the National Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries, and is a member of the Primary Industries Standing Committee Research and Development Sub-committee.

Sally Fletcher
ABARE
Outlook for meat

Sally Fletcher ABARE

Sally Fletcher is a commodity analyst in the Agriculture and Trade branch of ABARE and is responsible for beef and veal, pig meat and poultry economic analysis. Since joining ABARE as a graduate in 2007, Sally has been analysing markets and developing forecasts for the meat sector which are included in ABARE’s quarterly Australian Commodities publication. In addition to her commodity forecasting work, Sally has undertaken economic research on a range of topics including the beef market in Japan and the value of the Australian red meat industry. In 2008, she participated in the Cattle Council rural awareness tour which provided insights into a number of challenges being faced by the industry, particularly in northern Australia. Sally has a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics (First Class Honours) from Sydney University.

Caroline Gunning-Trant
ABARE
Outlook for wool

Caroline Gunning-Trant ABARE

Caroline Gunning-Trant is an experienced economic researcher and commodity analyst, and a relatively new arrival to Australia. Previously with the federal department of agriculture in Canada, where she worked as an economist, she came to ABARE after finishing her doctorate. The focus of her recent work has been on the Australian wool industry and agricultural trade issues. In particular, she has been serving as the principal wool analyst for ABARE’s quarterly wool forecast. She has also investigated the Australian livestock trade, the dairy import quota regime and the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union. Caroline has a PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis; a Master of Science degree in Agricultural and Business Economics from the University of Guelph, Canada; and a Bachelor of Economics degree from Queen’s University, Canada.

Peter Hayman
South Australian Research and Development Institute
Managing with a variable and changing climate

Peter Hayman South Australian Research and Development Institute

Dr Peter Hayman has been the Principal Scientist in Climate Applications at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), based at the Waite Institute, since May 2004. Before moving to Adelaide he was coordinator of climate applications for NSW Agriculture. Peter is an agricultural scientist with an interest in applying climate information to dryland and irrigated farming systems. Since the early 1990s, he has worked with farmers in managing climate risk on a range of projects in Australia, Cambodia and The Philippines. Peter leads a World Meteorological Expert Team on the communication and use of agro-climatic information. Last year he was awarded the Seed of Light Award by the Grains Research Development Corporation for communication of climate change information to the southern grains industry. Peter has a PhD in agro-climatic risk management. The PhD was funded by Land & Water Australia and the Grains Research Development Corporation.

Michael Finucan
Meat and Livestock
Australia Prospects for live exports

Michael Finucan Meat and Livestock Australia

Michael Finucan joined Meat and Livestock Australia as the Manager, Livestock Exports in September 2007. Prior to this, Michael spent several years working with companies involved in the export of agricultural products. He joined a leading livestock export company as livestock export manager in 2003 and for four years was involved in the preparation of cattle and sheep for livestock export to markets around the world. In 2006, Michael became the president of the Queensland Livestock Exports Association with a position on the board of the Australian Livestock Export Council. Michael holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree and a Graduate Diploma of International Business.

Stuart McCullough
Australian Wool Innovation
Marketing and innovation

Stuart McCullough Australian Wool Innovation

Stuart McCullough is Strategic Advisor and Shareholder Relations at Australian Wool Innovation Limited. He has over 20 years of experience in international business planning, product development management, marketing & sales strategy, strategic alliance negotiation and corporate communication. Stuart has been with Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) since July 2001, and has worked in a variety of roles at AWI being responsible for leading strategic development, transition, establishment and growth of several business units and core initiatives. Stuart’s responsibilities included directing new product innovation and retail commercialization efforts, initiating, launching and managing the North American AWI operation, leading global shareholders communications through complex animal welfare issues and recently, acting as the Strategic Advisor to the AWI Senior Executive in times of needed change. Stuart started his career in wool as a Jackeroo on a sheep farm and later moved on to business management roles, engaged in all aspects of the wool-producing and demand generating pipeline; wool classer, wool testing, international wool exporter, trader and buyer and global sales management roles.

Ian McClelland
Birchip Cropping Group
The producer's perspective

Ian McClelland Birchip Cropping Group

Ian McClelland is the inaugural chairman of the Birchip Cropping Group (BCG), established in 1993, and dedicated to improving the prosperity of rural and farming communities in north-western Victoria. Ian runs an 8600 hectare farm in partnership with his brother Warrick, growing wheat, barley, canola, lentils, and grazing sheep and cattle. His interests lie in education, research and practical on farm applications. He is a board member of Marcus Oldham college and an honorary Senior Fellow of the Institute of Land and Food Resources – Crop production at Melbourne University. Ian was awarded the Hugh McKay Innovators award for excellence in Agriculture and Resources in 1998, and the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s Seed of Light award in 2004, in recognition of outstanding research and communication in the southern grains region. In 2006 he was one of the recipients of the Centenary medal awarded by the University Of Melbourne, Land and Food Resources. In 2008, Ian was awarded the medal of the order of Australia in the general division (OAM).

Tony Buckley
My Butcher
The challenge of the value chain

Tony Buckley MyButcher

Tony Buckley is the Managing Director of mybutcher and Flavourit. He has more than 30 years experience in the meat industry, owning retail butcher stores, developing new business and in national sales and training. In 1999 Tony commenced the retail operation of his business “mybutcher” and branched out to food service supply within 12 months. In 2004 Tony sold the retail arm to focus entirely on food service which now supplies more than 100 hotels, restaurants, cafes and sporting clubs in Adelaide, regional South Australia and Northern Territory, and employs 30 people. 2008 also saw the creation of Flavourit – a food ingredient distributor which wholesales to butchers, supermarkets and other food establishments and mybutcher’s own brand, Loukoumi, (beef, lamb and chicken) which offers a guarantee in eating quality. In 2009, MYB International will commence trading and distributing meat products into the South Pacific region.

Michael Jackson
International Wool Textile Organisation
International markets in the future

Michael Jackson International Wool Textile Organisation

Michael Jackson is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), which is an international body representing the interests of the world’s wool textile trade and industry. On behalf of the industry and its members, IWTO standardise trading instruments; facilitates marketing; lobbies to protect the interests of wool industry; and provides a network to the industry worldwide. He has been with the Australian Wool Testing Authority Ltd since 1987 and became the Managing Director in 2001. Michael has a Bachelor of Science in Wool Technology (first class honours) Degree from the University of New South Wales and Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management at the University of Queensland.

Ken Moore
Land & Water Australia
Social implications

Ken Moore Land & Water Australia

Ken Moore is manager of Social and Institutional Research and water research and development with Land & Water Australia (LWA). In the past 10 years, he has been researching, interviewing and writing prolifically on future directions for agricultural industries and natural resource management including water. The Harvey Irrigation Systems project led by Ken under the National Sustainable Irrigation Program won the 2005 Western Australian Environment Award for water management. Ken was previously an executive director with Agriculture Western Australia and an assistant secretary with the Commonwealth Department of Primary Industries and Energy. In the 1980s and 1990s, he was involved in policy which established the rural R&D arrangements, reformed Australia’s primary industry statutory marketing authorities, removed the export ban on merino rams, and re-focussed drought policy on the principles of viability and self-reliance. Ken owns a family farm in tall karri country in Northcliffe, Western Australia.

12.45 – 2.00pm

Lunch

2.00 – 3.30pm

Productivity growth:
the answer to challenges?

Improving returns on NRM investment

Irrigated agriculture: reduced water availability

Chair: Peter O’Brien
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

Chair: Peter O’Brien Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

Dr Peter O’Brien is Managing Director of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. RIRDC is a strong partnership between rural industry and government - investing in research and development to drive productivity and sustainability. RIRDC’s research and development underpins innovation in: new industries (including cocoa, coffee, crocodiles, truffles, tea tree oil); established industries (including chicken meat, rice, honey, pasture seeds, fodder, buffalo, kangaroo); and across national rural issues (including trade policy, farm health and safety, organic foods, capacity building, agro-forestry). He is currently a Director of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, the External Advisory Board of the Institute of Agriculture at the University of Western Australia and the Advisory Board of the Institute of Applied Ecology at the University of Canberra. Dr O’Brien is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. Dr O’Brien is a scientist who studied feral goats for his doctorate and has published more than 60 scientific publications. He was previously Executive Director of the Bureau of Rural Sciences, advising federal government on trends and issues in agriculture, fisheries and forestry. He has served on the Board of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Cooperative Research Centre Selection Committee, Australian Research Council Expert Committee and the Australian Poultry Science CRC.

Chair: Ian Thompson
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Chair: Ian Thompson Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Ian Thompson is Executive Manager, Sustainable Resource Management in the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). He is the joint head of the Australian Government Land and Coasts team which is responsible, with the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, for delivering the Caring for our Country program. He is also responsible for domestic fisheries and aquaculture in DAFF. Ian has previously worked on plant industry policy, field crop issues, plant health, native title, drought management, water reform, rural adjustment, rural leadership and rural research issues. Ian has a Bachelor of Natural Resources degree from the University of New England.

Chair: Colin Mues
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Chair: Colin Mues Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Colin Mues is the acting Assistant Secretary of the Water Recovery Branch. The Water Recovery Branch was created in November 2008 to implement the Australian Governments’ environmental water purchase program, which is part of the Water for the Future plan. The Branch forms part of the Water Efficiency Division, which also has the responsibility for implementing the Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure program which aims to improve the efficiency of the delivery and use of water for irrigation. Prior to joining the department in June 2007, Colin worked with ABARE managing the farm survey program. He was also extensively involved in ABARE’s natural resource management research program, including projects investigating water resource management and market based instruments. He also has a background in irrigated farming growing up in the south western Riverina.

Don Gunasekera
ABARE
Drivers of productivity
growth in agriculture

Don Gunasekera ABARE

As Chief Economist, Dr Don Gunasekera leads ABARE's applied research effort in fields as diverse as trade analysis, productivity in the farm sector, biosecurity, natural resource management as well as minerals and energy related economic issues. More recently, Don led ABARE’s climate change modeling work for the Garnaut Climate Change Review. Dr Gunasekera has published on a wide range of topics including international agricultural trade, economic impact of pandemic flu, economics of policies adopted to address climate change, economic value of weather information and APEC energy issues. Prior to joining ABARE in 2005, Don worked in the National Competition Council, Productivity Commission, Department of Environment and Heritage and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. He has a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University and has completed the Senior Managers in Government Program at Harvard University.

Santhi Wicks
ABARE
Prioritising NRM investments at different scales

Santhi Wicks ABARE

Dr Santhi Wicks is a senior research economist with the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), specialising in environment and natural resource economics. She has recently returned to Australia after completing her doctorate in the United States, focusing on the capital asset value of improving soil quality. Santhi’s recent research includes projects on the economics of investment to improve the state of Australia’s environment and its natural resources. Her current interests include exploring factors which drive landholders’ management decisions and implications for resource use, and the role of public policy in promoting efficient and effective investment in NRM. Santhi has a PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis, United States and a Bachelor of Agricultural and Resource Economics (first class honours) from the University of New England, Armidale, Australia.

Dale Ashton
ABARE
Performance of irrigation farms in the Murray-Darling Basin

Dale Ashton ABARE

Dale Ashton joined ABARE in 1993 and has worked on a wide range of economic research projects covering most agricultural industries in Australia. At present he is involved with researching industry and policy issues affecting irrigators in the Murray-Darling Basin using ABARE farm survey data. This work includes analysis of adjustment pressures facing irrigators within the Basin, on-farm investment in irrigation infrastructure and new technologies, water use and productivity, and water trading. Dale holds a bachelor degree in social sciences from the University of Canberra, and a graduate diploma in agricultural economics from the University of New England.

Keith Fuglie
USDA
US productivity growth
and an international comparison

Keith Fuglie USDA

Keith Fuglie is a senior economist with the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, in Washington, DC. He specializes in international agricultural productivity analysis, the economics of technical change, and research policy. In 1997-1998 he served as senior staff economist for agriculture on the White House Council of Economic Advisors. He has also lived and worked in Tunisia, Thailand and Indonesia. Keith received a PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota in 1989.

David Pannell
University of Western Australia
Making the most of ‘Caring for our Country’

David Pannell University of Western Australia

Dr David Pannell is Professor in the School of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Western Australia, Director of the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, and a Federation Fellow of the Australian Research Council. He has been a prominent commentator on environmental policy within Australia, arguing for policies that better reflect scientific, economic and social realities. He was President of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society in 2000, a member of the Western Australian Government’s Salinity Taskforce in 2001, and a director on the Board of Land and Water Australia 2002-05. His research includes the economics of land and water conservation; environmental policy; farmer adoption of land conservation practices; risk management; policy evaluation; and economics of farming systems. In these areas and others he has published five books and 130 journal articles and book chapters. Dr Pannell’s research has been recognised with awards from the USA, Australia, Canada and the UK, including the WE Wood Award for excellence in salinity research and development in 2004.

Andrew Chesworth
Producer, NSW
Managing low water allocations and the role of water trading

Andrew Chesworth Producer, NSW

Andrew Chesworth is a dairy farmer in the southern Riverina area of New South Wales, farming in partnership with his wife and parents. He is involved in local and regional irrigation committees and projects. On his farm, a range of irrigation systems are used, including automated surface irrigation and a centre pivot. Minimum tillage precision farming is used for planting and spreading fertiliser. Where possible, the use of automated technology is maximised in all farming aspects from milk harvesting to calf feeding. This was recognised when the business won the Southern Riverina Irrigators’ District Council Irrigated Farm of the Year in 2000. Andrew completed a dairy apprenticeship in 1990 and has since gained a Diploma of Agriculture.

Bernard Wonder
Productivity Commission
Productivity - an economy wide perspective

Bernard Wonder Productivity Commission

Bernie Wonder’s responsibilities as Head of Office at the Productivity Commission span a range of functions necessary to support the Commission’s program of advice on economic, social and environmental issues. Prior to joining the Commission in 2005, Bernie was Deputy Secretary at the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and is a former Executive Director of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE). Bernie has participated in and contributed to various government initiatives, particularly in the areas of rural policy, agricultural trade, research and development, productivity, and natural resource management. He has also worked on agricultural cooperation with China and Indonesia, as well as leading Australian delegations to the Food and Agricultural Organisation and the European Commission. Bernie holds degrees from the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University, and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.

Brendan Wintle
University of Melbourne
Demonstrating return on 'Caring for our Country'

Brendan Wintle University of Melbourne

Brendan is a Senior ARC Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne and the Deputy Director of the Applied Environmental Decision Analysis Research Hub. He specialises in uncertainty and environmental decision-making and publishes widely on technical and policy issues around conservation and natural resource management, including optimal monitoring and adaptive management, systematic conservation planning, population viability analysis, habitat modelling and mapping, Bayesian statistics, and decision theory. Brendan works at the interface between policy and science, serving on Forest Stewardship Council and Australian Forestry Standard reference committees, and the Caring for our Country monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement advisory group. He provides advice to threatened species recovery teams and other government initiatives. Brendan has a PhD in ecological modelling from the University of Melbourne and is a member of editorial boards of the Journal of Applied Ecology and Diversity and Distributions.

Laurie Arthur
Producer, NSW
Farming options with scarce water

Laurie Arthur Producer, NSW

Over the past 15 years Laurie has represented irrigation farmers at many different levels. He is a past president of the Ricegrowers Association of Australia and currently chairs the National Farmers Federation Water Taskforce. He has recently been appointed a Commissioner of the National Water Commission. Laurie graduated from Melbourne University in 1976 with Bachelor of Agricultural Science and has spent many years contract harvesting and share farming before acquiring irrigation properties in the Moulamein and Barham districts near the Murray River. All of the properties have been redeveloped to enable efficient rice, cereal and fodder production. Technologies like GIS, precision farming and remote sensing are used on the farms.

Conference end

National Outlook conference 3-4 March 2009
www.abare.gov.au/outlook