These presenters have been
invited to represent a broad range of ideas, opinions and expertise. There
is also an opportunity for anyone to present their ideas here
Dr PeterO'Brien - Executive Director, Bureau of Rural Science - Link to paper abstract Dr O’Brien is the Executive Director of the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) and was appointed in 1995 to manage the strategic directions and governance of BRS – a professional, scientific bureau in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Australia. Dr O’Brien has a record of leadership and innovation in the public sector, with extensive experience in policy advice, program delivery, representation, strategic leadership and people management. Dr O’Brien is actively involved on a number of strategic Boards including the AFFA Executive Leadership Team, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the AFMA Environment Committee. Recent highlights include membership of the Prime Minister’s Natural Resource Management Task Force and the Chief Scientist’s Science Capability Review Advisory Group. Ted Lefroy, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems - Link to paper abstract Ted is currently a research
scientist with the CSIRO in Perth studying the environmental impacts of
perennial farming systems. He graduated from the University of WA with
a degree in agricultural science in 1973. Since then
Margaret Alston, Charles Sturt University - Link to paper abstract Margaret Alston is an Associate Professor in social work and is Director of the Centre for Rural Social Research at Charles Sturt University. She is a Director of General Practice Education Australia, a Director of the Foundation for Australian Agricultural Women, member of the Advisory Board for the Bureau of Rural Sciences and on the Editorial Committee for Australian Social Work. She has published widely in the field of rural gender and rural social issues. Her most recent book on rural issues is Breaking through the Grass Ceiling: Women, Power and Leadership in Rural Areas, published by Harwood Publishers, UK, in 2000. Dr Neil Byron, Productivity Commission - Link to paper abstract Dr Neil Byron is Commissioner with special responsibility for Environment and Natural Resources in the Productivity Commission. His career includes stints as an academic, state, federal and international civil servant, researcher and policy adviser in sustainable natural resource management: Queensland Forest Service, the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, Graduate Program in Environmental Management and Development at ANU, then Assistant Director General of the Center for International Forestry Research, based in Indonesia. Michael Eyres
Joy Deguara
Bruce Maynard
Andrew Campbell, - Executive Director of Land & Water Australia Andrew Campbell has been
Executive Director of Land & Water Australia since March 2000. He was
previously a senior executive of Environment Australia from 1996, responsible
for the Bushcare program funded through the Natural
Steve Morton, Chief CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Dr Steve Morton is one of
Australia's leading ecologists through over 30 years of professional experience
and dedication to the Australian environment. An expert in the ecology
of arid Australia, his work in more
Kath Bowmer - Link to paper abstract In addition to being one of Australia's leading aquatic ecologists, Kath is currently Independent Chair of the Murrumbidgee River Management Committee established to develop rules for allocation of water to the environment. The Murrumbidgee was the first NSW Committee to reach consensus on the contentious issue of water for the environment and as such her expertise in these issues is invaluable. Kath was recently appointed Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Land and Water and is responsible for developing strategies for effective interaction with rural and regional Australia, with the aim of optimising national investment in natural resource management; John Harvey GRDC - Link to paper abstract John Harvey is the Manager, Program Operations, for the Grains Research and Development Corporation, which invests over $100 million in grains research annually. John manages five of the six programs that effect the GRDC's research and development strategies. He joined the GRDC in November, 1997, as Program Manager, Farming Systems, where he managed the environmental analysis, soil and water, sustainable rotation and pastures programs. John's background is in agricultural extension and RD&E management and he was previously based in Kingaroy, Queensland, where he was responsible for a range of RD&E programs with the QDPI. The programs included pulse breeding, sustainable cropping systems and extension services. George Stankey USDA - Research Social Scientist, Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A - Link to paper abstract Dr. George H. Stankey is a Research Social Scientist with the U. S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research in Corvallis, Oregon. For the past 35 years, his research has focused on the linkages among people, natural resources and the institutions that govern their relationships. This includes such diverse issues as the role of natural environments as settings for recreation experiences, the impacts of alternative resource management programs and policies on local communities, and the development of management frameworks to integrate human dimensions in resource management decisions. More recently, he has lead an evaluation of efforts to implement adaptive management as a key strategy in management of 10 million hectares of public forest land in the Pacific Northwest. Bobbie Brazil - Grain, cotton and cattle farmer - Darling Downs, Goondiwindi Qld and Katherine NT - Link to paper abstract Bobbie Brazil is a partner with her husband in a broad-scale farming business on the Darling Downs and in the Goondiwindi region in Qld and south of Katherine in the NT. The farming operation encompasses primarily grain, cotton and cattle. Bobbie has had significant involvement with industry and catchment organisations at both state and national level with particular focus on the environmental and resource management issues as they impact on farming. Her special interest area is water law particularly in Qld. Currently Bobbie is Chair of Land and Water Australia, a director of the Cotton Research and Development Corpn., Chair of the Condamine Catchment Management Assocn. and Chair of the Land Use Studies Centre Advisory Committee at the University of Southern Qld. She is also the Qld community representative on the Australian Landcare Council. John Williams Chief, CSIRO Land and Water Dr Williams is an advocate
of the need for Australia to radically change land use so that it is more
in harmony with the functioning of the natural ecosystems. He is well known
for his analysis of the issues that confront
Richard Stirzaker CSIRO Land and Water Richard Stizaker’s research interests focus on the water use of farming systems, tree/crop interactions, salinity and irrigation. He is author and co-editor of the book "Trees, Water and Salt" that explores the relationship between agricultural productivity and catchment health. His other current research is the development of a simple wetting front detector for irrigation farmers in Australia and overseas. 2001 Young Australian of the Year (National Environment Winner) Arron Wood has worked in community education and deals extensively with the interface between government and stakeholder objectives. Arron is extremely committed to bringing about a cultural change in the way we view our natural environment. Arron is the Director of Fire Starter Communications, a communication and education consultancy business and is also the youngest Board Member on the Sunraysia Area Consultative Committee, an ambassador for National Youth Week, a Steering Committee Member Lead On Australia Program, has his own fortnightly regional ABC Radio Program on the environment and a monthly spot on ABC Radio National discussing rural issues. Melanie Fisher is the Senior
Executive Manager in the Bureau of Rural Sciences, Commonwealth Department
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Her management responsibilities
include social sciences, agriculture, food sciences, risk, forests and
vegetation. Melanie has a policy background and has worked on Landcare,
water, fisheries and forests policy and for the Hon Senator Bob Collins,
the former Federal Minister for Primary Industries and Energy.
Ian Thompson
- Agriculture Fisheries & Forestry Australia - Link
to paper abstract
Linda Ford - Northern Territory University Linda Ford is a traditional owner of the Rak MakMak Marranunggu land 100ks south west of Darwin and executive member of two indigenous organisations that manage community development and land management issues. Linda is also an Indigenous academic support lecturer at Northern Territory University and is currently involved in research. Linda will be speaking about traditional and contemporary Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu knowledge and perspectives of the environment, and spiritual dimensions through cultural values and beliefs about land and water Hugo Spooner
- Farmer Rockhampton Queensland
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