Management Committee

An elected management committee (or board) provides strategic direction and oversight for Wildlife Health Australia.

Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources representative:	Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer Ian Thompson (Chair)
Animal Health Committee representative:	Chief Veterinary Officer - Victoria Charles Milne
Individual member representative:	David Phalen
Organisational members representatives:	Wildlife Disease Association Australasia (represented by Andrew Peters) Wildlife Health Surveillance Victoria (represented by Anna Meredith) Australian Veterinary Conservation Biologists (represented by Robert Johnson)
Invited member:	Rodney Vile

Ian Thompson
		Ian Thompson is Australia’s inaugural Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer. He is the primary representative of and advisor to the Australian Government on all matters relating environmental biosecurity risks. Ian has previously led biosecurity policy and emergency response, plant industry policy, field crop issues, plant health, native title, drought management, water infrastructure and water reform, rural adjustment, rural leadership and rural research issues. Most recently Ian’s responsibility spanned sustainable agriculture policies and programs, fisheries, forestry, agricultural and veterinary chemicals, community and Indigenous engagement and Landcare. Ian has a Bachelor of Natural Resources degree from the University of New England.

Charles Milne

Charles Milne is the Chief Veterinary Officer of Victoria.

Following completion of his studies at the Royal Veterinary College Charles spent 2 years in practice in Fife, Scotland before joining the State Veterinary Service as a Veterinary Officer. Here he gained practical experience in disease control including, BSE, TB and Salmonella, animal welfare and meat hygiene. After promotion to a policy role as veterinary Adviser to the Scottish Government he was responsible for providing expert technical advice on animal welfare, international trade and zoonotic disease. In 2001 Charles managed the pre-emptive cull response to the Foot and Mouth outbreak in South West Scotland and following a short term as Divisional Veterinary Manager in Ayr was appointed as Chief Veterinary Officer Scotland in 2003. During his tenure as CVO he managed 6 outbreaks of exotic animal disease including FMD, Bluetongue, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease. In 2009 Charles was appointed as head of the Food Standards Agency in Scotland responsible for food safety policy and operation as well as policy on diet and nutrition. During this time he managed the government response to the horse meat substitution for beef scandal in Scotland.

Charles was appointed CVO Victoria on 1 July 2014 and is currently responsible for animal disease and welfare in Victoria. He has recently completed a review of the greyhound industry in Victoria following concerns relating to live baiting during the training of some dogs.

David Phalen
		An Associate Professor of Wildlife Health and Conservation at the University of Sydney with 35 years of experience, David has expertise in infectious, nutritional and toxicological diseases of wild amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. David has worked in Australia since 2006 and routinely collaborates locally, nationally, and internationally with university-based scientists, government agencies and not for profit organisations. To this end, I have been a strong supporter of Wildlife Health Australia, and has been involved in writing new fact sheets and updating others, participating in the disease surveillance reporting, providing expert opinions, being a member of the Universities Focus Group, and promoting Wildlife Health Australia among students and members of the public whenever there is an opportunity. It is one of David’s most important missions to protect biodiversity in Australia.

Andrew Peters
		Andrew is the current chair of the Wildlife Disease Association Australasian Section. He is a veterinarian who completed his PhD examining protozoal diversity and evolution in Australo-Papuan birds. He is employed as a Lecturer in Veterinary Pathology at Charles Sturts University's School of Animal & Veterinary Sciences where he divides his time between teaching, research and clinical diagnostics. Andrew has an interest in developing wildlife health capacity in PNG and views low regional animal health capacity as a threat to Australia's biosecurity.

Anna Meredith
		Professor Anna Meredith joined the University of Melbourne in July 2018. Previously, she was the Professor and Chair of Zoological and Conservation Medicine and Associate Dean International at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, and Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. She was Head Veterinary Surgeon at the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland for 17 years and established the University of Edinburgh’s Exotic Animal and Wildlife Unit, leading its development into an eight-person team. She has written or edited a range of veterinary textbooks, including chapters in nine British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) manuals, as well as publishing almost 100 scientific publications. She received the BSAVA Blaine Award in 2003 for outstanding contributions to the advancement of small animal veterinary medicine or surgery. Professor Meredith’s research in conservation medicine examines the interrelationship between ecosystems, animal and human health; her work includes a recent high-profile study published in Science that showed British red squirrels harbour two strains of the bacterium that causes leprosy. Professor Meredith is a Fellow and Specialist in Zoological Medicine of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and a Specialist in Wildlife Population Health of the European College of Zoological Medicine.

Robert Johnson
		BVSc MANZCVS CertZooMed BA Grad Dip Asian Studies Robert Johnson is the nominated representative for the Australian Veterinary Conservation Biologists special interest group of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA). He has a longstanding background in mixed, wildlife, zoo and reptile practice, including 7 years as a clinical veterinarian at Taronga Zoo. From 2015-17 Robert served as the National President of the Australian Veterinary Association. Robert is a member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists and holds a Certificate in Zoological Medicine from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. In May 2015 he was elected President of the Australian Veterinary Association. Robert has extensive clinical experience in zoo animal medicine and has presented and written widely on reptile, zoo and wildlife medicine. Robert still serves as a director of the AVA, is also a director of Vets Beyond Borders and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In his spare time Robert enjoys reading, cartooning and studying Mandarin.

Rodney Vile
		Rodney is the Principal Officer Wildlife Emergencies for the Victorian Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning (DELWP). In this role he develops policy, response plans and training programs for the declared wildlife emergencies within Victoria and provides strategic leadership and advice to the State during incidents. Rodney represents DELWP on Victorian and national committees to ensure that wildlife emergency response plans are developed in line with industry best practice and that synergies between response agencies are developed. He has undertaken a range of roles that has given him experience in extension, regulation and enforcement, vocational training and development, emergency management and program and project management at senior levels. The development of response plans and training programs is a key strength. Rodney is also the Victorian environmental representative for Wildlife Health Australia and is well familiarised with our work.

About Us Links

Meeting Summaries

WHA AGM Minutes

Management Committee

Ian Thompson

Charles Milne

David Phalen

Andrew Peters

Anna Meredith

Robert Johnson

Rodney Vile