Lands Minister Brendon Grylls has announced the appointment of two new members to the Pastoral Lands Board.
They are Roger O'Dwyer, who has also been appointed chairman of the board and Brett Crook. Mr Grylls said the skills and knowledge of the new appointees would be invaluable to the board.
"I believe the board should be looking at every opportunity to enhance the pastoral industry through diversification opportunities and the flexibility of land tenure in co-operation with native title holders, to enable expanded economic development," he said.
The Minister also thanked outgoing members Graeme Robertson who had been chairman since July 2004 and Rod Campbell of Kybo Station who had been a member of the board since July 2007.
Membership of the Pastoral Lands Board.
Roger O'Dwyer (chairman) (new)
Mr O'Dwyer has extensive knowledge of a wide range of farming systems and has previously held positions which required responsibilities across the whole rural sector. Mr O'Dwyer has experience on the Pastoral Lands Board having represented the Chief Executive Office for the Department of Agriculture and Food for a number of years.
He is a Commissioner on the Western Australia Agricultural Produce Commission and previously held the position of chair of the Department of Agriculture and Food's Sustainability Committee.
Brett Crook (Pastoral Member) to September 30, 2010 (new)
Mr Crook has been actively involved in the pastoral industry since 1976, part-owning and managing the Goldfields properties of Woolibar Station until 1988 and Mt Burges Station from 1979 to 1983. Brett owned and operated the timber supply business of 'Golden Mile Timber' from 1989 to 1995 and managed Edjudina Station for Hampton Transport Services from 1996 to 2004.
Since October 2007, he has owned and operated the consulting business of Goldfields Rangeland Services based in Kalgoorlie. Maintaining pastoral industry involvement, his firm manages the Barrick Gold of Australia pastoral leases of Mungari, Black Flag and Mt Burges in the Goldfields.
Brett's long-term participation in the pastoral industry and now interaction with the mining industry, will be highly beneficial to the board, particularly as mining operations continue to expand across pastoral WA.
Graeme Rundle (reappointed)
Mr Rundle has a special interest in biodiversity conservation, with a focus on the rangelands, which has involved interaction with related government agencies and the pastoral and mining industries.
He is well respected by the conservation movement, having served on the executives of several non-government organisations (State and national) over the past 30 years. Mr Rundle is an Executive Member of the WA Conservation Council and a member of the Conservation Commission. He was also a member on the Alternative Models of Land Tenure Working Group.
Paul Baron (reappointed)
Mr Baron is currently the general manager of the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation, the lessees of Cardabia Station north of Coral Bay and the chairperson of the Cardabia Pastoral Company. Mr Baron has held positions including co-ordinator with the Kuwinwardu Aboriginal Resource Unit in Carnarvon, Vocational and Training Officer and elected Yamatji Regional Councillor for Yamatji region with the Department of Education, Employment and Training in Carnarvon and Kalgoorlie, Chief Executive Officer with the Burringurrah Community Aboriginal Corporation in Carnarvon and indigenous member of the Rangelands Natural Resource Management Coordinating Group of WA.
Leanne Corker (reappointed)
Mrs Corker has been the lessee of Red Hill Station in the Ashburton in partnership with her husband Digby since 1987. Leanne has an excellent understanding of rangeland management including rangeland condition, conservation values, biosecurity and impacts of land use.
She has practical experience in all aspects of station management including cattle handling, infrastructure maintenance and financial management. Leanne was the secretary of the Carnarvon School of Air Association from 1998 to 2005; has been a local government councillor of the Shire of Ashburton since 2003 and its president since 2005; and an Ashburton Land Conservation District Committee member since 1998.
Peter Leutenegger (appointment extended)
Mr Leutenegger has been the lessee of Napier Downs Station, east of Derby since 1992.
All appointments made to September 30, 2010
Minister's office - 9213 7000
