Queensland veterinarian recognised in Australia Day 2024 Honours

^{Dr Allison Crook PSM}

The AVA congratulates Dr Allison Crook, Queensland Chief Veterinary Officer and long-standing AVA member, who was honoured with the Public Service Medal in the 2024 Australia Day Awards 'for outstanding public service during COVID-19 to animal welfare and the protection of biosecurity in Queensland’.

Growing up on a cattle property near Warwick, Dr Crook commenced her career in public service as a veterinary officer in 1997 in Toowoomba, with the then Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. Early career achievements include leading the implementation of national programs to monitor and reduce chemical residues in animal products and developing and leading the first detector dog team.

As COVID-19 emerged, Dr Crook showed agility in her leadership, with prioritised work activities and safe work practices to ensure high-risk biosecurity threats could be managed and the national disease and pest programs maintained. As part of Animal Health Committee, she shaped a novel national policy for COVID-19 testing in animals and implemented policies and procedures in Queensland.

Traceability is an important tool in biosecurity, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Crook has been actively involved at a national level in a working group to develop a traceability system for horses. During COVID-19, Dr Crook also supported the COVID-19 State Coordination Centre and chaired regular meetings with the Australian Veterinary Association (Queensland Division) and the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland to support the profession during these uncertain times.

Dr Crook has provided leadership, oversight and direction, not only through COVID-19, but in a number of successful biosecurity emergency responses in Queensland including the citrus canker outbreak in 2004, multiple Hendra virus incidents, a Bovine Johne’s disease outbreak in 2012, white spot disease in 2016, and a mass livestock mortality in 2019. With the support of New South Wales authorities, Dr Crook helped Australia to become the first country to eradicate equine influenza in 2007.