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Wildlife Health Australia (Formerly Australian Wildlife Health Network) aims to develop strong partnerships in order to better manage the adverse effects of wildlife diseases on Australia’s biodiversity, animal and human health, trade and tourism.
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Meeting Summaries

MC Meeting Summary 24 September 2020

MC Meeting Summary 17 June 2020

MC Meeting Summary 24 March 2020

MC Meeting Summary 13 November 2019

MC Meeting Summary 26 September 2019

MC Meeting Summary 20 March 2019

MC Meeting Summary 25 July 2019

MC Meeting Summary 20 March 2019

MC Meeting Summary 14 November 2018

MC Meeting Summary 13 September 2018

MC Meeting Summary 13 June 2018

MC Meeting Summary 14 March 2018

MC Meeting Summary 8 November 2017

MC Meeting Summary 11 September 2017

MC Meeting Summary 20 July 2017

MC Meeting Summary 27 April 2017

MC Meeting Summary 10 November 2016

MC Meeting Summary 16 September 2016

MC Meeting Summary 16 July 2016

MC Meeting Summary 19 April 2016

MC Meeting Summary 8 December 2015

MC Meeting Summary 30 October 2015

MC Meeting Summary 3 June 2015

MC Meeting Summary 3-4 March 2015

WHA AGM Minutes

WHA AGM Minutes 13 November 2019

WHA AGM Minutes 14 November 2018

WHA AGM Minutes 8 November 2017

WHA AGM Minutes 10 November 2016

WHA AGM Minutes 8 December 2015

WHA AGM Minutes 20 November 2014

Management Committee

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

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment representative:	Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer Ian Thompson (Chair)
Animal Health Committee representative:	Chief Veterinary Officer - Tasmania Kevin de Witte
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 (no representative from July 2020)
Invited members:	Rodney Vile Tamara Riley Phil Tucak (to fill casual vacancy July - December 2020)

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.

Kevin de Witte
		Kevin de Witte became the Tasmanian Chief Veterinary Officer in 2019. In this new role he is becoming acquainted with the different animal industries in Tasmania and their animal health issues and the arrangements in Biosecurity Tasmania and DPIPWE that service Tasmanian industry and community. A large part of his focus to date has been in the aquatic industries. His main responsibilities include the Centre for Aquatic Animal Health and Vaccines, disease surveillance, animal welfare and emergency response and he works closely with colleagues in the Animal Health Laboratory, product integrity, marine resources, EPA and cultural heritage to service all Tasmanian animals including wildlife. Most recently Kevin was CVO in the NT for three years with responsibilities including President of the Veterinary Board NT and responsibilities for abattoirs, livestock welfare and chemical residues. Prior to that period he was with Animal Health Australia for 10 years in the surveillance, emergency animal disease research, vaccine banks, endemic diseases and welfare areas. Kevin’s early career was spent as Regional and Principal Veterinary Officer in the NT based in Katherine (21 years) and other jobs and places in the NT between 1983 and 2006. Kevin's interests outside of veterinary work include anything outdoors especially walking and photography. Despite being born and raised in Far North Queensland and spending most of his life in the Top End, Kevin is enjoying the community, climate and environment in Tasmania.

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, David has 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 Past Chair and Treasurer 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 Sturt 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.

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.

Tamara Riley
		Tamara Riley is a Wiradjuri woman with family ties to Western NSW. Tamara is a Veterinarian and is currently undertaking a PhD within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the ANU. Tamara’s research focuses on One Health (the relationship between animal, human and environmental health) within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Tamara completed a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney and went on to complete the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources graduate program with a Diploma of Government. She has completed a Masters of Philosophy in Applied Epidemiology at the ANU, and a Professional Certificate of Indigenous Research and Melbourne Poche Leadership Fellows Program at the University of Melbourne. Tamara has also worked as a researcher at the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and at the ANU.

Phil Tucak
		Dr Phil Tucak BSc BVMS is a veterinarian, science communicator and communications manager with a career interest in wildlife conservation and science communication. As the Wildlife Outreach Vet, Phil works to share the conversation about conservation, and he has been involved in various wildlife conservation projects across Australia and internationally, including studying seals in Antarctica. Phil is an Executive Committee member of the Australian Veterinary Conservation Biology special interest group of the Australian Veterinary Association, and regularly writes for the Australian Veterinary Journal and other publications. He also works as a writer and communications manager for several veterinary businesses and science and conservation organisations. Phil has previously worked as the Communications Manager for the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, as the Communications and Interpretation Coordinator for Perth Zoo, as a multi-media journalist for SBS News, and as a television producer and presenter, and radio producer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Phil has previously taught wildlife handling skills to undergraduate veterinary students at Murdoch University, and produced the national ‘Our Place’ Indigenous radio program for the Centre for Appropriate Technology.

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