The Australian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AAWAC)

New advisory committee appointed

In October 2011, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry appointed a new Australian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee. This Committee replaces the previous National Consultative Committee on Animal Welfare and the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy Advisory Committee in line with recommendations from the Review of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy 2009 by Bruce Gemmell  PDF [405kb].
 
Members of the new Australian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee were selected because of their skills, knowledge and experience across a wide range of stakeholder groups, and their ability to steer complex animal welfare issues and policy development to a successful conclusion.

Membership of the Australian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee is:

• Chair: Dr Gardner Murray, Special Advisor to OIE, former Australian Chief Veterinary Officer.
• Dr Hugh Wirth AO, expert member.
• Dr Kevin Doyle, expert member.
• Mr Keith Adams, expert member.
• Prof Mary Barton, expert member.
• Dr Norm Blackman, expert member.
• Mrs Helen Cathles, expert member. 
• Mr Brett McCallum, expert member.
• Dr Lyndy Scott, expert member.
• Dr Dedee Woodside, expert member.
• Ms Glenys Oogjes, representative member, animal advocacy sector. 
• Mr Bill Bray, representative member, National Farmers' Federation
• Dr Rick Symons, representative member, States/Territories.
• Mr Phillip Glyde, representative member, Commonwealth.

AAWAC’s Terms of Reference

1. To be advocates for and drive the implementation of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy.

2. To foster the involvement of the full spectrum of opinion in animal welfare in the development and implementation of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy.

3. To advise the Standing Council on Primary Industries (formerly the Primary Industries Ministerial Council), through the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, on nationally significant animal welfare issues and the implementation of the strategy.

4. To identify issues/gaps in the existing animal welfare system in Australia and to provide advice on key performance indicators, priority work areas to address possible solutions and interim measures.

5. To provide oversight of specific action plans in each sectoral and cross-sectoral group under the strategy.

6. To establish a framework, including who will have carriage for the ongoing monitoring and review of animal welfare outcomes.