13/07/2005

Land & Water Australia's newly appointed Board members will be joining the Corporation at an exciting time with the organisation launching into a new five-year plan, Land & Water Australia's Chairman Bobbie Brazil said today.

Mrs Brazil said the new Strategic Plan would guide Land & Water Australia's ongoing critical contribution to sustainable agriculture and the use and management of Australia's priceless natural resources.

She welcomed the appointment of three new Directors and three continuing Directors to the Corporation's Board bringing a combination of fresh perspectives and solid corporate knowledge to oversee the implementation of the 2005-2010 Strategic R&D Plan.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck announced this week that scientist Dr Ted Lefroy, Victorian farmer Mr John (Jack) Speirs and NSW Assistant Natural Resource Management Commissioner Ms Dianne Bentley would be joining the Board for the next three-year term.

"With the continuing directors this Board represents a solid cross section of people involved in and committed to sustainable agriculture and the use and management of Australia's land, water and vegetation resources," Mrs Brazil said. "I am looking forward to working together to address our major natural resource management priorities and improve the profitability of agriculture enterprises that depend on them.

"Through our new Strategic Plan we will be building on already extensive partnerships with industry and the other Rural Research and Development Corporations to ensure that our research is timely and relevant for producers.

"The new plan also focuses attention on making sure our research delivers results that can be used and make a difference. Of course this will all be underpinned by high-quality science providing benefits for Australia."

The continuing Directors are Mr Tim Fisher, Mr John Childs and Professor Peter Cullen, as well as Government Director Mr Charles Willcocks and Executive Director Mr Andrew Campbell. The current term runs from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2008.

Mrs Brazil also paid tribute to the retiring Directors - Mr Mike Logan, Dr David Pannell and Mr Warwick Watkins - who she said had all made major contributions to Land & Water Australia.

ENDS

Media enquiries: Media Officer , Land & Water Australia, 02 62636000.

Land and Water Australia Board Directors (July 2005):

Roberta (Bobbie) Brazil

Ms Brazil was first appointed Land & Water Australia Chair in July 2001, and reappointed in July 2004. Ms Brazil is a lawyer and a partner in large-scale farming and pastoral businesses on Queensland's Darling Downs and in the Northern Territory. She was appointed Chair of the Australian Landcare Council in May, 2005. She has played an active role in local landcare and catchment management groups and the Queensland Farmers' Federation, and has served as Queensland representative to the National Farmers' Federation's Environment Committee. Ms Brazil is a board member of the Condamine Alliance regional natural resource management body, and has served as a community board member of the Australian Landcare Council since August 2000. She is a member of the Regional Womens Advisory Council and a member of the Great Artesian Basin Advisory Council for Queensland.

Dr Ted Lefroy

Is Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO's Division of Sustainable Ecosystems, but will soon take up the position of Director, Centre for the Environment at the University of Tasmania. Dr Lefroy has 15 years experience in research with the Western Australian Department of Agriculture, CSIRO and the CRC for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture. He is the Program Leader, Biodiversity Program, CRC for Plant-Based Management of Dryland Salinity and has an international reputation in sustainable agricultural research.

Jack Speirs

Is a farmer from Casterton, Victoria, who has pioneered sustainable farming practices on his property. He is a member of the Australian Government's Industry Environmental Management Systems Advisory Group, as well as a range of other industry, government and community bodies. Mr Speirs is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program and, in 2004, was awarded the prestigious McKell Medal for excellence in natural resource management.

Dianne Bentley

Is an agricultural research and management consultant with extensive experience in natural resource management, particularly in integrated catchment management. She is Assistant Commissioner of the Natural Resources Commission of NSW, and chaired the Liverpool Plains Land Management Committee. Ms Bently also has experience in research and development as a member, and deputy chair, of the Northern Regional Panel of the Grains Research and Development Corporation.

Tim Fisher

Is the Manager of the Water and Catchment Unit at the Victorian Environmental Protection Authority and spent 14 years with the Australian Conservation Foundation. He has extensive experience with the Murray Darling Initiative, natural resource management, environmental and ecological matters, administering R&D and the economics of natural resource management. He was first appointed to the Land & Water Australia Board in July 2002, and was awarded a centenary medal for contributions to water conservation and salinity management.

John Childs

Is a Queensland-based consultant with a focus on natural resource management and research use in northern Australia. He is a member of the Northern Territory Pastoral Land Board, and Coordinator of Meat and Livestock Australia's Resource Management portfolio under the Northern Beef Program. He was first appointed to the Land & Water Australia Board in July 2002, and his expertise includes natural resource management, commodity production, technology transfer and administering R&D.

Professor Peter Cullen AO

Has been a director with Land & Water Australia since July 2002 and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Board in the areas of water and natural resource management. He is a member of the National Water Commission, Chair of the Victorian Water Trust Advisory Council, Deputy Chair of the NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources' Science and Information Board, and a Member of the Natural Heritage Trust Advisory Committee. He was also Professor of Resource and Environmental Management at the University of Canberra until 2002.

Charles Willcocks

Is the General Manager of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's Landcare and Sustainable Industries Branch.