Food & Nutrition Security – The Biosecurity, Health, Trade Nexus

13-14 December 2021, Canberra

Dr Robyn Cleland

Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

Dr Robyn Cleland is the Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer in the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. In this role, she is responsible for strengthening Australia’s environmental biosecurity outcomes through leading the committee that responds to incursions of environmental pests and diseases, building community understanding of environmental biosecurity and supporting research that contributes to these outcomes. She also liaises between government and the community to raise awareness and build Australia’s capacity to manage biosecurity risks. Robyn has held senior leadership roles in the Australian Public Service for more than a decade, working in policy, compliance and regulation across the agriculture, health and environment portfolios. She has shaped regulatory policy in biosecurity, environmental, chemical and biotechnology assessment and overseen compliance activities. Her scientific expertise spans biosecurity, plant health, biotechnology, food, ecology and agriculture. Dr Cleland has represented Australia internationally in bilateral and multilateral fora, at APEC, the OECD, the International Plant Protection Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization and in national security.