Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to acknowledge Mr Andrew Williams, a PhD student in my electorate of Swan, for being awarded one of the 2008 Australian Agricultural Industries Young Innovators and Scientists Awards. Andrew, who studies at the University of Western Australia, was awarded the Australian Meat Processor Corporation Award for his innovative research into parasitic intestinal worms among sheep.

The Australian Agricultural Industries Young Innovators and Scientists Awards support young people in pursuing innovative scientific ideas that will deliver long-term benefits to Australia’s rural industries. The awards, a Howard government initiative started in 2001, have helped 117 young Australians to make their ideas a reality and showcase their talent to the world. This year’s winners represent some of the best scientific talent in Australia, and it is a privilege to have someone of Andrew’s talent living in the electorate of Swan. Andrew is one of only 14 winners nationwide and receives a grant worth $20,000 to help continue his research.

Andrew was required to submit an innovative project proposal that addressed a significant issue in Australia’s rural communities and that could be completed within 12 months. Projects could relate to animal welfare, dairy, egg, emerging and niche agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry, grains, horticulture, meat and livestock, pork, sugar, viticulture or natural resource management industries. Andrew’s project will investigate the reasons behind increased scouring among Rylington Merino.

Andrew’s work is important, as it addresses an issue of great importance to the industry. Parasitic intestinal worms are estimated to cost the Australian sheep industry more than $500 million a year in lost profits. According to Andrew, sheep with parasitic intestinal worms gain less weight and also suffer from a type of diarrhoea known as scouring. Scouring is of particular concern to sheep farmers as soiled wool is less valuable and the animal is more susceptible to fly strike, which is costly to manage. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly difficult to control these parasites because many are highly resistant to current chemical treatments.

Andrew believes that the long-term solution is to breed sheep that are naturally resistant. His recent research has indicated that resistant sheep respond to worm infection by mounting an inflammatory immune response. He hopes to determine whether this immune response may also be the cause of scouring in resistant sheep. If Andrew is successful, it may lead to genetic and biochemical markers being developed that could help select sheep that are resistant to worm infection and less susceptible to scouring. This would be a major breakthrough in parasite control in the sheep industry.

My electorate of Swan in Western Australia may be a metropolitan electorate, but it has strong links with the agricultural community in WA. Many students of agricultural studies such as Andrew Williams live in Swan whilst undertaking their studies at the surrounding universities. Agriculture is therefore an important issue for the people in my electorate of Swan. Providing research opportunities to individuals like Andrew Williams is an excellent way to acknowledge the contribution that these people make to the local community.