Judy Horton- Conference MC

Judy Horton, Communications Manager from Yates Australia has had 10 years experience in retail nurseries as a garden adviser and seven years with NSW National Trust as a bush regenerator, she has written two gardening books and many articles for gardening magazines. Judy is one of the team of garden experts who appears regularly on 702ABC Saturday morning talkback. She also regularly does garden talkback on 2UE and has many interviews with radio stations around Australia. In October 2009 Judy was presented with the Horticultural Media Association Hall of Fame Laurel for outstanding contribution in promoting gardening Judy is also a member of the Australian Institute of Horticulture and the Horticultural Media Association and is currently secretary of HMA NSW.

Gerry Wood ^MLA

Gerry is a highly regarded and very popular local politician who has over 77.4% of the primary vote in his electorate, the highest of any Territory MLA at the last election. Gerry comes from a Horticultural background having studied Horticultural Science at Burnley prior to coming to the Territory in 1970. Gerry was instrumental in developing the Daly River Mission garden which provided vegetables for the Aboriginal Community of about 300 people. In 1974 Gerry was the Works Supervisor for the newly formed Nguiu (Bathurst Island) Shire Council where he went on to become the Shire Clerk and later, Farm Manager. Gerry counts his days working in these gardens with the local people as some of his happiest and most successful. Gerry has also held the positions of Councillor and President of the Litchfield Shire Council and part-owned the local Hardware and Garden Centre. He was elected as the Independent Member for Nelson in August 2001.Gerry currently holds the balance of power in the NT Government under a unique power sharing arrangement that is a truly bi-partisan approach to Government. He epitomises the idiom of ‘Grow Your Opportunities’ as he has come from a Horticultural background and the school of hard yards to become the most powerful person in the Northern Territory.

Neville Norman

Your view of economics will never be the same after listening to Professor Neville Norman. One of Australia’s leading economists and keynote speakers, Professor Norman discusses the economy and its future in a style which is entertaining as well as authoritative, informative and relevant to everyday business practice. Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne since 1992 and senior advisor to many business and State and Federal government bodies, Professor Norman is able to shed light on business issues and opportunities in relation to any industry. Professor Norman is an articulate, entertaining and informative speaker with a gift for making complex issues relevant and understandable.

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Annette Gillanders

Annette Gillanders is the founder and Managing Director of the award winning organisational development and training consultancy, BiZnorth Pty Ltd. Annette’s success in business is a result of commitment, motivation, passion and an understanding of people and behaviours. In particular Annette has a keen interest in generational differences in the workforce. Her business expertise is recognised nationally as recipient of: Telstra Business Woman of the Year NT 2008, Telstra Business Owner Award NT 2008, Telstra Micro Business of the Year NT 2008, Small Business Champion Entrepreneur of the Year NT 2009, Small Business Champion NT- Educational Services 2009. Annette consults to large through to small public and private sector organisations on all aspects of organisational and human development, and presents as a key note motivational speaker.

Trevor Cochrane

Trevor Cochrane is a passionate horticulturist and environmentalist with a clear personal and business strategy to communicating to a huge cross section of the community. He has worked in varying roles in the garden industry, initially as an apprentice and later amenities manager in local government. Then as a production nursery grower and later as a retailer, firstly in a small family owned garden centre, florist and production owned by his good friend Neville Passmores family. In 1988 he was offered a role as a buyer for the Coles group and later worked as a merchandise manager for Kmart before moving to a small Western Australian timber and hardware group called Bunnings to develop a market entry strategy for their proposed garden business and subsequent evolution into a then unknown retail concept known as big box retailing. After eight years with Bunnings, Trevor left to establish a specialised media company dedicated to promoting gardening to the Australian public. The program The Garden Gurus started in WA in January 2002 before moving east to SA and eventually succeeding Burkes Backyard and Backyard Blitz on Channel Nine as their gardening television offer in Australia. Today Guru Productions has grown to a dynamic media group run by a team of 35 members and contractors and has offices in Perth, Melbourne and in 2010 New York.

Rod Turner

Is the General Manager of Programs for Plant Health Australia. Rod has been involved in Plant Biosecurity from a regulatory and practitioner level within Australia and internationally for the last 25 years. This has included work around pre border, border and more recently post border activities. Much of his recent work has been assisting government and industry in the preparation for incursions of new plant pests. Rod is responsible for the delivery of all Program outputs of the Company including the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed, Biosecurity Planning and Implementation, development of national policy and management of supporting data bases and will be presenting on biosecurity considerations for the Almond Industry. Rod currently chairs the Domestic Quarantine and Market Access Committee and is a member of a number of national biosecurity committees.

Tanya Ha

Tanya Ha is a writer, television presenter, environmentalist and internationally recognised sustainable living advocate. She is best known as the author of the acclaimed eco-guide Greeniology and stars in the landmark SBS TV series Eco House Challenge, which first screened in April 2007. Tanya has worked many years for Planet Ark, a non-political, non confrontational, unashamedly populist environment group that defines itself by what it’s for, not what it’s against. She also serves on the Board of the State Government authority Sustainability Victoria.

Brian Walker

As the principal and founder of The Retail Doctor® Group, in the Australasian and Asian market place, Brian brings considerable senior experience gained in the specialty retail, franchising and shopping centre sectors. Brian has operated in line management across various senior leadership roles and in the past years has successfully built his current consulting profile within the retail, franchise, wholesale and service sectors. The Retail Doctor specialises in the development and transformation of retail strategy into increased business performance, increasing sales and operating profits through The Retail Doctor ‘Business Fitness’ programs.