Wayne Wootton announces his retirement
Wayne Wootton, Joint Managing Director of the Masterpet Group of Companies, has announced his retirement effective from the 8th of February 2008.
Wayne started work with his parents, John and Gloria Wootton, in 1967 when it was a staff of three.
Masterpet New Zealand acquired Australia’s leading pet company, Pets International, in 2002, subsequently renamed Masterpet Australia. Jointly the two organisations employ nearly 300 staff—the largest combined Pet Group in Australasia.
Masterpet will be headed by Brent Wootton, who worked on oil rigs in the North Sea before joining Masterpet in 1980.
Wayne will remain on the Board of Masterpet.
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NZ learns from NSW EI experience
Kiwis have taken an opportunity to prepare for an equine influenza (EI) outbreak by gaining first-hand experience on Australian shores.
New Zealand exotic disease specialists have picked up some information from the NSW equine influenza response team, and two New Zealand Government sponsored biosecurity managers have toured the NSW local control centre at Menangle and have been briefed by key decision-makers.
Richard Calvert and Andrea Murray said first-hand experience of Australia’s response to EI would assist in improving New Zealand’s state of readiness for an outbreak and its emergency management response plans.
“The key point we have learnt is that knowing exactly where horses are is critical to controlling and eradicating equine influenza,” said Mr Calvert.
The two New Zealanders studied the operations, surveillance, movement control, management and epidemiology measures conducted by the NSW EI response team.
“The scale of the operation is amazing and the focus and energy of the people working on it is impressive,” said Ms Murray.
Briefing the two kiwis during their visit was three of the seven New Zealand specialists who have been playing key roles in the NSW. Sharyn Holmwood, Josephine Taute and Helen Crabb were busy working to control and eradicate EI from NSW since the initial stages of the outbreak.
“From the NSW experience it is apparent that EI could travel from one end of New Zealand to another in a very short time,” Ms Crabb said. “The best way New Zealand can prepare veterinarians for outbreaks of exotic diseases is to send people to work on outbreaks across the world such as England’s foot and mouth and Australia’s EI.”
Source: NSW DPI
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