The Chair of Vinehealth Australia, Ms Di Davidson AM, has announced the appointment of three new Board members. Ms Brooke Howell, Mr Peter Ngyuen and Dr Fiona Constable join ongoing directors Ms Davidson, Mr Iain Jones, Ms Krysteen McElroy and Mr Nick Secomb in overseeing the operations at Vinehealth Australia, formerly known as the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia.
Vinehealth Australia is the South Australian statutory body charged with safeguarding the State’s vines from pests and diseases, principally phylloxera, acting within the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Act 1995. The continued phylloxera-free status of South Australia is essential to the sustainability of the State’s wine and table grape industries.
A Board Nominations Committee comprised of representatives from the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA), Wine Grape Council of South Australia (WGCSA) and South Australian Vine Improvement Association (SAVIA) oversaw the selection process.
Ms Brooke Howell is the Senior Viticulturist at Jim Barry Wines in the Clare Valley and has 15 years of experience in the wine industry, working across multiple regions in South Australia.
Mr Peter Nguyen is the General Manager of Corporate Services at the Australian Wine Research Institute; he is a chartered accountant and qualified lawyer.
Dr Fiona Constable is a leading Australian plant virologist, based at the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. Her work is well known to Vinehealth.
This Board is a highly skilled group of people with a deep understanding of the wine and table grape industries, with experience in viticulture, biosecurity, research, business management, leadership and community and stakeholder engagement.
