LTAWP Project Advisory Committee

The Live Trade Animal Welfare Partnership Project Advisory Committee is responsible for recommending projects for funding under the LTAWP to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The Committee’s Terms of Reference are below. Committee members are listed in the following table.

• Project Advisory Committee Terms of Reference

The Project Advisory Committee meets bi-annually in April and October.

Project Advisory Committee project evaluation documentation

• Minimum Form and Content Requirement Checklist
  (note: for Committee Secretariat use only)
• Project Evaluation Template PDF [106kb] - Project Evaluation Template Word [70kb]
  (note: for Committee use only)

Ms Jo Evans 
Executive Manager, Trade and Market Access Division, DAFF

Ms Evans’ responsibilities include agricultural market access, multilateral (such as the World Trade Organisation) and bilateral negotiations and cooperation, and input to international arrangements (including free trade agreements) that affect the agriculture, fisheries and forestry portfolio.

Prior to joining the department in November 2010, Ms Evans held a number of senior executive positions for the Australian Government.  This included positions in the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and in the (formerly) Department of the Environment and Heritage. In 2010, Ms Evans was a member of the Advisory Group on Reform of Australian Government Administration that produced “Ahead of the Game: Blueprint for the Reform of Australian Government Administration”.   She also brings experience working as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company.

Ms Evans holds a Masters of Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, a Masters of Environmental Science (Melbourne University) and a Bachelor of Economics (Honours)/ Bachelor of Asian Studies from the Australian National University.

Ms Lee Cale
General Manager, Animal Quarantine and Export Operations, Biosecurity Services Group, DAFF

Ms Cale's current responsibilities include the management of live animal imports and exports. Prior to joining the department in 2001, Lee was involved extensively in the agriculture sectors in both Australia and Canada. Having previously managed a sheep/cattle/cropping property in the Central West Region of New South Wales, Lee brings a wealth of livestock management knowledge and expertise to the Committee. She also brings with her experience arising from employment in the field of veterinary science. In addition to prior experience as a head veterinary nurse, Lee also worked closely with the University of Sydney's Faculty of Veterinary Science in progressing her research on the development of a vaccine for benign footrot in sheep.

Ms Cale is committed to managing the biosecurity risks associated with the import of live animals and genetic material to ensure the sustainability of Australia's agriculture and unique wildlife. She is equally focused upon helping Australian livestock producers improve animal welfare along the entire livestock export supply chain for the benefit of industry and the community.

Ms Cale holds a Bachelor of Management (Agriculture) with First Class Honours from the University of Sydney.

Mr Michael Finucan
Manager, Livestock Exports, Meat and Livestock Australia 

After completing a Bachelor in Agricultural Science, Mr Finucan spent several years working with companies involved in the export of agricultural products. This involved the export of timber and dairy commodities around the world. Michael joined a leading livestock export company as livestock export manager in 2003 and for four years was involved in the preparation of breeding cattle for export markets in China, Turkey, Russia, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and breeding sheep for export to Japan, Kazakhstan and China. He was also involved in the preparation of cattle to various other markets.

In 2006 Mr Finucan became the president of the Queensland Livestock Exports Association with a position on the board of the Australian Livestock Export Council. In September 2007 he joined Meat & Livestock Australia as the Manager, Livestock Exports.

Dr Andrew Fisher
Associate Professor in Production Animal Management and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Science, the University of Melbourne

Dr Fisher is a veterinarian with a background in rural veterinary practice, and has completed a PhD at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University College, Dublin. Dr Fisher is currently involved in teaching veterinary students, and research concerning the welfare of cattle and sheep by working to provide sustainable improvements in animal management and welfare for the benefit of both the farming industries and the community.

Previously, Dr Fisher undertook animal health and welfare research with dairy and beef cattle and sheep in New Zealand, and has held the role of leading the Animal Welfare Group at CSIRO. Dr Fisher has been involved in research into the welfare of cattle and sheep during transport, including reviewing the parameters of the heat stress assessment model, which is used to determine stocking densities in livestock vessels.

Mr Lach MacKinnon
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council

Mr MacKinnon was appointed as CEO of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) in March 2008. Mr MacKinnon has developed strong working relationships with Australian livestock producers and exporters, and importers of Australian livestock in key overseas markets. Mr MacKinnon’s knowledge and experience in the livestock export industry has enabled him to work with the industry to develop and implement long-term policies that benefit both animal welfare and commercial outcomes for the industry.

Mr MacKinnon was the CEO to Northern Territory Livestock Exporter’s Association from 2004-2008. It was here that Mr MacKinnon developed his knowledge of the livestock export industry and developed extensive networks, particularly in key export markets in South East Asia.

Mr MacKinnon has extensive experience across the agricultural sector including as an agribusiness analyst with the National Australia Bank.

Mr Jim Paradice
Chair of the Live Export Standards Advisory Group, DAFF

Jim Paradice has been involved with the livestock export industry for more than 20 years.
In addition to managing international welfare within the Livestock Industries and Animal Welfare Branch in DAFF, Mr Paradice is currently the chair of the Livestock Export Standards Advisory Group and of the Consultative Forum on the Livestock Export Industry.

Mr Paradice oversaw the review process for the Livestock Export Standards Advisory Committee (LESAC) and the LESAC Technical Working Group in 2008, and at the time of the review was chairing the LESAC Technical Working Group. From 2003 to 2005, he managed the AQIS live animal export program and was involved in the development of the initial Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL), chairing the group responsible for developing the initial draft of standard 3 of ASEL on the Management of Livestock in Registered Premises. In 2004 he was a member of the group that reviewed recommendation 6 of the Keniry Livestock Export Review (Dec 2003) relating to the closure of Portland and Adelaide to exports of live sheep from May to October. Mr Paradice participated in negotiations on the Memoranda of Understanding of Trade in Live Animals with the countries from Middle East and Africa.