- Respected entomologist and biosecurity specialist Darryl Hardie receives prestigious national Biosecurity Lifetime Achievement Award
- DPIRD staff working above and beyond to protect Western Australia from plant and animal pests and diseases
Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis has paid tribute to well-known entomologist and biosecurity specialist Dr Darryl Hardie – aka Dr Bug-a-lugs – who was honoured at the Australian Biosecurity Awards last night.
Dr Hardie was presented with the prestigious Dr David Banks Biosecurity Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Biosecurity Forum in Canberra for his longstanding contribution to Australian biosecurity.
Currently the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s technical area manager for plant pest and disease surveillance, Dr Hardie’s expertise is an invaluable part of the State’s effort to maintain and enhance Western Australia’s biosecurity defences.
He has held many national and State positions during his 48-year career with the department and participated in a range of international scientific collaborations.
Dr Hardie has been credited as a driving force behind establishing the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity, surveillance systems for exotic pests and the MyPestGuide Reporter app.
A respected mentor and a renowned communicator, Dr Hardie is well known to the WA community through his media presence and regular radio appearances.
He was also instrumental in the development of the original Queensland fruit fly surveillance system, which recently detected the pest at Bayswater – resulting in an extensive biosecurity response to protect the State’s $1.49 billion horticulture industry.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
“I congratulate Dr Hardie on his Biosecurity Lifetime Achievement Award, which acknowledges his many contributions over nearly five decades to improving our plant biosecurity defences.
“Dr Hardie epitomises the passion, commitment and hard work of DPIRD staff, who work hand-in-hand with industry, government and communities across the State protecting our agriculture industries, environment and way of life from the impact of exotic pests and diseases.
“On behalf of WA’s primary industries and the community, I would like to thank Dr Bug-a-lugs – as he is known to many – for his outstanding contribution and wish him all the best for the future.”
