CQUniversity alumnus embarks on mission to improve Australia’s biosecurity
When Melinda Hashimoto became the first in her family to graduate university, she opened the door to a career that is helping to shape the future of farming in Australia.
A proud graduate of CQUniversity’s Bachelor of Education (LOTE), Melinda grew up on a cattle property in Central Queensland where she developed a deep appreciation for agriculture and its importance to regional Australia.
After completing her degree in Rockhampton and teaching at St. Brendan’s in Yeppoon, Melinda spent five years establishing an elementary program with her husband (also a CQU alumnus) in Japan before returning to Australia to pursue further studies and pivoting her career direction into agri-politics, serving as an adviser to Ministers for Agriculture at both federal and state levels, as well as within the Queensland Department of Trade and Investment.
Six years ago, Melinda took on the role of CEO at Egg Farmers of Australia, a position that allowed her to combine her passion for agriculture with her skills in advocacy and policy leadership.
Recently, Melinda’s commitment to agricultural advancement was recognised with a prestigious Churchill Fellowship.
As part of the fellowship program, Melinda will return to Japan later this year to investigate the country’s response to avian influenza, with a goal of bringing back innovative solutions to elevate and assist Australia’s preparedness for future outbreaks.
“While the Australian egg industry has collaborated with North America and Europe, Japan has a wealth of expertise,” she said.
“The focus of my research is to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the Australian egg industry and hopefully I can find some gems to bring back that will mean quicker responses, reduced culling and better protection for Australians,” she said.
Australia has faced several H7 avian influenza outbreaks in the past, including one earlier this year, but is the only continent free of the H5 strain which continues to pose a significant biosecurity risk.
Japan, however, experienced a spike in H5 strain cases in the last year, and a cluster of outbreaks at the peak of the season resulted in the destruction of more than five million chickens in January alone.
“When Japan has an avian influenza outbreak it is treated in the same way a natural disaster is here in Australia in that there is a military support component to the response measures so I’m keen to understand how their various agencies work together,” Melinda said.
“Many countries are also talking about potential vaccinations for hens against H5 so I’m keen to understand Japan’s vaccination policy as well.”
Melinda continues to be based in Rockhampton and said she holds fond memories of her time as an undergraduate at CQU.
“You never forget your roots. I was the first in my family to graduate from university, so it was a big achievement,” she said.
“It was a bit daunting going into that experience without having other people close to me who had done it, but I really enjoyed studying.
“The research work that I’ll be doing in Japan will allow me to return to ‘study mode’ and I’m looking forward to sharing my findings when I return.”
Melinda will embark on her trip to Japan in December.
