John Thorp Email & Phone Number

Launceston Tas

• Natural resource management policy and development, including assessment, strategic and action planning, government liaison, change management and community consultation. • Policy development, evaluation and service delivery at a state and national level. • Provision of project management and Executive Officer support to high level policy committees. • Management processes including leading, planning, organising, staffing and financial control. • Formulation, implementation, management and evaluation of RD&E programs to support NRM strategies and goals. • Negotiation and communication skills that develop trust and teamwork, particularly across regional and cultural barriers. • Understanding of the public sector, legislation, regulation, political processes and procedures at all levels of government. • Highly developed computer skills, for personal productivity, decision support, system control and service delivery including web server applications.

Represented research and extension needs of plant industries.Ensured that research results were communicated to farmers and other Institute customers. Contributed to the prioritising of the Institutes R&D portfolio.Identified possible new and emerging agricultural industries for Tasmania requiring R&D work.

Launceston, Tas

Managed a budget of $10.6 million, 200 staff covering research, development and extension for all horticultural, vegetable, extractive and field crops in Tasmania.Provided quality leadership to staff, identifying and developing new directions “beyond the farm gate” which resulted in export opportunities for the state.Promoted and facilitated the marketing and sale of Tasmania’s clean food and fibre products in Asia.Developed sustainable management policies at a national and state level, the most notable being weed strategies, clean food and fibre program, codes of practice for chemical use, farm hygiene, best practice program for the vegetable industry and coastal shipping ballast water management.Provided R&D consultancies for external funding bodies totalling $3.2 million.

Hobart

Negotiated Tasmania’s area freedom from fruit flies and Tobacco Blue Mould with Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Operated the National and State quarantine barrier for Tasmania at full cost recovery.Trained and implemented quality assurance procedures with industry that meet international standards.Conducted fourteen pest and disease surveys that justified and maintained Tasmania’s international area freedom.Developed contingency plans for pest and disease outbreaks and managed incursions.

Hawkesbury Diploma In Agriculture, Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences

Graduate Diploma In Extension, Rural Sociology

Leaving Certificate, Agriculture, General