The past month has once again provided many opportunities to demonstrate our continued commitment to biosecurity excellence and our dedication to fostering strong connections with our industry and government Members.

As part of the Biosecurity Collective, we spent months of rigorous planning to deliver a very successful 3rd Australian Biosecurity Symposium on the Gold Coast at the end of August. This year’s event offered invaluable insights into the latest developments in biosecurity, and it was a privilege to engage with industry leaders and experts. PHA delivered five presentations, and I was part of a panel discussion on Unleashing the Power of Women: Shaping the future of Australia’s biosecurity landscape. The Symposium has once again reaffirmed our commitment to advance biosecurity practices and enhance our collaborative efforts.

I am thrilled to share that last month I was awarded the James Cook University 2024 Chancellor’s Distinguished Award in recognition of my contribution and dedication to biosecurity in the areas of plant, animal and human health. With a career spanning over 30 years in entomology, policy and biosecurity, this award is testament to my passion to safeguard our environment. Read more and watch the video.

The past month also saw the launch of the new Cotton Biosecurity Plan. PHA led the process in partnership with the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), and Cotton Australia, in consultation with industry leaders and stakeholders. This comprehensive plan is a crucial step in safeguarding our cotton industry and will play a pivotal role in managing biosecurity risks. Our collective efforts in implementing this plan will ensure a resilient and sustainable future for the industry.

Further to publishing PHA’s 2024-25 Annual Operational Plan (AOP), the AOP Addendum is now available on our website. This Addendum outlines our budget and financial priorities for the coming year.

I am also excited to announce that we reached 7,000 followers on LinkedIn this month! Since September 2023, PHA gained more than 2,000 new followers, which is a reflection of our commitment to building biosecurity awareness and growing a professional plant biosecurity network. Thank you for your continued support and engagement – it’s your enthusiasm and dedication that drive our success. We’d love to connect with you, so if you haven’t already, please follow us on LinkedIn at @PlantHealthAustralia.

Lastly, I’m pleased to tell you about the exciting staff movements within the PHA team! Congratulations to Ashley Thomson on being promoted to PHA’s Governance Coordinator. The Governance Coordinator coordinates the internal governance-related activities including internal policies and procedures, the Board, its Committees and appearances before Senate Committees. There are also three new additions to our digital team. Please join me in welcoming Lisa Devereaux, Caitlin Tolsma, and Yasmin Chalmers. We’ll share more about them in next month’s edition of Tendrils.

As we reflect on these accomplishments, I want to express my gratitude to each of you for your ongoing commitment and support. Together, we are making significant strides in our field and creating a positive impact.

Thank you for being an integral part of our biosecurity journey.