Governance

The environmental weed biocontrol pipeline project is primarily funded by the NSW Environmental Trust. The project benefits from significant in-kind contributions from consortium partners, CSIRO, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), as well as potential cash co-contributions from other third parties, which are detailed in annual Implementation Plans.

Each year of the project is structured around a specific Implementation Plan, with budgets and additional funding sources reviewed and approved by the Trust.

Leadership and governance of the project are provided by a CSIRO-led consortium, with Dr Ben Gooden serving as Project Manager. The consortium includes key representatives from NSW DPIRD (Andrew McConnachie) and NSW NPWS (Hillary Cherry), who collaborate on project planning, prioritisation, and delivery. The governance structure is robust and multi-layered: the Environmental Trust is responsible for reviewing and approving the business plan, prioritisation reports, annual Implementation Plans, and budgets, while a Technical Review Committee endorses these documents and oversees progress and final reports.

The Project Manager is responsible for managing the grant, coordinating the consortium, and ensuring delivery against milestones and budgets, including sub-contracting as needed. Consortium members oversee project implementation and provide strategic and technical advice, while sub-project leaders are tasked with delivering specific research milestones and reporting on progress.

Decision-making within the consortium is by consensus, and the Project Manager acts as the main point of contact with the Trust.

Regular reporting, including annual progress and financial reports, is required, and an independent evaluator, commissioned by the Trust, will assess the project upon completion. This governance and funding model is designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and the effective use of resources throughout the life of the project.