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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 March 2021

MC Meeting Summary 18 November 2020

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 18 November 2020

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:	Ian Thompson (Chair)
Agriculture Victoria representative:	Cameron Bell
Animal Health Committee representative:	Chief Veterinary Officer - NSW Sarah Britton
Individual member representative:	David Phalen
Organisational members representatives:	Wildlife Disease Association Australasia (represented by Leanne Wicker) Wildlife Health Surveillance Victoria (represented by Anna Meredith) Australian Veterinary Conservation Biologists (represented by Phil Tucak)
Invited members:	Rodney Vile Tamara Riley

Ian Thompson
		Until recently Ian Thompson was Australia’s inaugural Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer and the primary representative of and advisor to the Australian Government on all matters relating to environmental biosecurity risks. Ian has now retired but continues as chair of WHA. 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 for the Australian government. 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 and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Cameron Bell
		Cameron Bell is a veterinarian with over 20 years of experience delivering government veterinary services in Victoria, Tasmania and abroad. Prior to this, he worked in private veterinary practice in south eastern Australia and undertook sub-antarctic marine mammal research. Cameron is currently the Manager Veterinary Science with Agriculture Victoria and in this role, he leads a team that provides technical and policy advice to the Victorian government on animal health and welfare issues. His professional interests include new and emerging animal diseases, disease surveillance, veterinary public health, and emergency response and preparedness, and he fosters a ‘One Health’ approach wherever possible. Cameron has also acted as the Chief Veterinary Officer for Victoria for extended periods. Cameron completed his undergraduate veterinary studies at the University of Melbourne and a zoology master degree by research at the University of Tasmania. He is a member by examination of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (veterinary epidemiology) and is a fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation.

Sarah Britton
		Sarah is the NSW Chief Veterinary Officer and leads NSW DPI’s Animal Biosecurity unit in the prevention and control of exotic and endemic animal pests and diseases. She also represents NSW on the national Animal Health Committee, leading the development of animal health policy and operations at a state and national level. Sarah has extensive veterinary experience in government, industry, and private animal health sectors including delivery of large complex animal health and biosecurity programs. She established and delivered the NSW strategic Peri-Urban Biosecurity program, led the national livestock antimicrobial prescribing guidelines project and founded two multi award winning vet clinics. She is passionate about animal biosecurity and welfare, wildlife conservation, antimicrobial stewardship and building highly motivated teams. Sarah was awarded an Australian Rural Leadership Program Scholarship in 2018.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Leanne Wicker
		Bio pending.

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