Presented by the Invasive Species Council

It was recently revealed that Australia is facing an invasive species led extinction. More than 80 per cent of our most vulnerable native plants and animals are being driven to extinction by feral animals, weeds and diseases.

Join us for a very special evening with Australia’s first ever Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer, Ian Thompson, whose new role is critical if we are to stave off a wave of extinctions driven by invasive species.

Refreshments will be provided.

About the Speaker

Ian was appointed to the role in October last year and has been charged with taking the lead on environmental biosecurity in Australia.

His priorities include:

• Build and maintain relationships with the environmental sector.
• Finalise the national priority list of exotic environmental pests and diseases.
• Be the national point of notification for environmental pest and disease detections under the National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement.
• Develop a formal arrangement with the Department of the Environment and Energy.
• Design and deliver expenditure of the annual $825,000 project fund.

Ian’s work within the federal Department of Agriculture is aimed at ensuring Australia’s environmental and community biosecurity risks are better identified and prioritised. It will also improve environmental biosecurity preparedness, surveillance and response capacity.

He will discuss the incredible challenges of his new role before taking questions.

This event is presented by the Invasive Species Council and hosted with the support of The Royal Society of Victoria.