Event

Planning is well progressed for the 2018 Kimberley Pastoral Conference to be held Friday 27th April at the Mangrove Hotel, Broome.  

The main foci of the conference will be transport infrastructure, the livestock supply chain and innovators pushing the boundaries.

The Agenda and most speakers are now locked in for what promises to be a great conference which encompasses a wide range of important challenges and solutions for a 21^st century pastoral industry in northern WA.

The Conference will kick off with a Breakfast Workshop that will explore the power and potential of social media to communicate what modern agriculture in Australia is all about.

Confirmed speakers for the formal Conference sessions include:

• Senator Dean Smith, representing the Federal government, will provide an overview of Australian Government policies and programs that support a vibrant globally competitive pastoral industry;

• David Beatty from Meat Livestock Australia (MLA) will provide an overview of the wide range of MLA funded programs that support the global cattle supply chain from farm to customer;

• Simon Westaway, CEO of Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council will discuss the current state of play in the global livestock supply chain;

• Neil Thompson from ATEA Consulting will present a new assessment of Kimberley Road Networks and future developments for improved livestock transport efficiency;

• Bruce Mullin, DPIRD Director of Livestock Research, Development and Innovation, will update conference on the Northern Beef Development Project and other DPIRD projects supporting northern WA Pastoralism;

• Darrylin Gordon, the 2018 WA Rural Women of the Year, will speak on how she is empowering indigenous youth to participate in Kimberley Pastoralism and the broader regional economy;

• Dr James Smith, Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s Kimberley Regional Ecologist, will explain the philosophy and history behind the innovative sub-leasing of part of their Charnley River conservation lease back to a pastoral company.

Elected PGA memers in attendance include:

• PGA Kimberley Division Chair, Lyn (Jim) Craig, who is hosting the Conference;

• PGA President Tony Seabrook;

• PGA Vice-President and Pastoral Committee Chair, Locky McTaggart; and

• PGA Livestock Committee Chair, Chris Patmore.

Their attendance at the conference gives PGA members, and other pastoral industry members an excellent opportunity to discuss with them PGA policies and advocacy in the Pastoral space.

After the formal conference sessions, PGA members are invited to attend a PGA Members Only Session which will start with the PGA Kimberley Division AGM followed by a Policy Session where PGA members will have an opportunity to discuss policy issues that impact on your business activities, both current and future.  Policy topics will include tenure, biosecurity, native title, cross-boundary management issues (fire, dogs, weeds etc) and topics raised by members.  PGA Policy Officer Doug Hall will run this session supported by PGA Native Title & Industry Liaison Officer Stewart Palmer.  We look forward to your active participation as input from our members is essential for effective PGA policy and advocacy.

During morning tea and lunch you will be able to visit trade booths displaying a range of technologies that can make you pastoral activities more efficient and safer.