Rabbit control, RCD: dilemmas and implications (30th March 1998)

THE NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION OF SCIENTISTS

1998 Conference: Draft Programme and Registration Form

30, 31 March 1998, Treasury Conference Room, Level 14, 1 The Terrace, Wellington

Rabbit control, RCD: dilemmas and implications

Monday 30th March 1998

9.00-9.15 Welcome & Introduction

1. Rabbits, farmers and sheep and rabbit control especially RCD in NZ

Chair: Dr Helen Anderson (MORST)

History of Rabbits and the land in NZ

9.15-9.35 Helen Hughes (former Parlimentary Commissioner for the Environment)

The status, ecology and control by predation of rabbits and hares in New Zealand

9.35-9.55 Dr John Flux (Ecological Research Associates, NZ)

What is the current situation with regard to rabbit problems and farming?

9.55-10.15 John Aspinall (Federated Farmers, High Country Committee)

10.15-10.35 Don Ross (NZ Rural Futures Trust)

10.35-11.00 Morning Tea

What is/was the New Zealand rabbit industry and effects of RCD on it?

11.00-11.15 Graham Milne (Auckland)

11.15-11.30 Cliff Belaney (Christchurch)

What are the economics and costs of rabbits, their control and of RCD?

11.30-11.50 Dave Choquenot (Landcare, Lincoln) - farming economics

11.50-12.10 Simon Harris (Brown, Copeland & Co.) - national cost/benefit analysis.

12.10-12.40 Discussion

12.40-1.40 Lunch

2. Virological Issues and the Safety of Rabbit Calicivirus

Chair: Dr Helen Anderson (MORST)

2.1 Factors to be considered in the potential use of viruses as biological control agents

1.40-2.00 Prof. Richard Bellamy (Mol. Genet. & Microbiol, Univ. Auckland)

2.2 Host specificity and virus evolvability

What are the rules under which RNA viruses evolve?

2.00-2.15 Prof. David Penny (Massey Univ.)

Studies in virus evolution

2.15-2.35 Dr Alan Gould (Australian Animal Health Laboratory) - Virus evolution

What is the potential for gene transfer in viruses?

2.35-2.55 Dr Tony Robinson (Wildlife and Ecology Div., CSIRO)

2.3 The Nature and Relationships of Caliciviruses

Relationships in caliciviruses

2.55-3.25 Dr David Matson (Centre for Pediatric Research, Eastern Virginia Medical School, USA)

3.25-3.45 Afternoon Tea

What can we predict about RCV from animal calicivruses?

3.45-4.15 Dr Alvin Smith (Lab. Calicivirus Studies, Oregon State Univ, USA)

Human caliciviruses in New Zealand

4.15-4.35 Dr Gail Meekin (NZCDC, ESR)

2.4 What do we know about the phylogeny and variablity of RHDV, and the RCD situation in Europe?

4.35-5.05 Dr Norbert Nowotny (University of Veterinary Sciences, Vienna, Austria)

Discussion

5.05-5.45

5.45-6.15 Drinks

6.15-7.15 Meal

2.5 What is the evidence/potential for the rabbit calicivirus or its lethal gene to infect humans and non-rabbit animals?

Mutation, evolution, and host-switching in viruses

7.15-7.30 Dr Tony Robinson (Wildlife and Ecology Div., CSIRO)

Current evidence for effects in humans and animals

7.30-7.50 Dr David Matson (Centre Pediatric Research, East Virginia Univ, USA)

Human Health monitoring in New Zealand.

7.50-8.10 Dr Lance Jennings (Canterbury Health Labs) - New Zealand

2.6 General Discusson

8.10-9.00 Panel/Responders: Dr Kitty Croxon (Auckland Hospital)

Dr Paul Atkinson (AgResearch, Wallaceville)

Tuesday 31st March

3 RCD in New Zealand and Australia - current situation

Chair: Dr Helen Anderson (MORST)

3.1 RCD in Australia - the current situation

9.00-9.30 Dr Brian Cooke (Wildlife and Ecology Div., CSIRO)

3.2 Epidemiology and Ecological Effects of RCD in NZ

How has RCD been established and used in NZ to the present

9.30-9.50 Alastair Ensor (Federated Farmers of NZ)

What can be predicted about development of immunity to RCV?

9.50-10.05 Prof. Frank Griffin (Microbiology, University of Otago)

What can be predicted about the behaviour of RCD?

10.05-10.25 Dr Nigel Barlow (Ag Research, Lincoln)- Modelling of RCD

10.25-10.45 Morning Tea

What is the behaviour of RCD in New Zealand to date?

10.45-11.10 Dr John Parkes and Dr Grant Norbury (Landcare)

Monitoring results from the first RCD epidemic in Otago

11.10-11.30 Graeme Martin (Otago Regional Council)

What are the potentional vectors and mechanisms of spread?

11.30-11.45 Dr Allen Heath (AgResearch, Wallaceville)

What are the effects on the native flora and fauna of rabbit removal by RCD?

11.45-12.05 Dr Grant Norbury (Landcare)

12.05-12.35 Discussion

12.35-1.30 Lunch

4 Public Policy, Legal, and Biosecurity Issues

Chair: Prof. Jonathan Boston (Public Policy, VUW)

4.1 RCD, the social environment and MAF action

Arriving at the decision on the Application to import RCD virus into New Zealand

1.30-1.40 Dr Peter O'Hara (MAF)

MAF's response to the illegal importation of RCD virus into New Zealand

1.40-1.50 Dr Barry O'Neil (MAF)

MAF's role in managing and monitoring the impacts of RCD.

1.50-2.00 Dr Peter Kettle (MAF)

2.00-2.10 Discusion/questions

4.2 Wider constitutional/environmental/biosecurity issues with respect to the importation/release/spread of RCD

The law and RCD: a domino effect

2.10-2.30 Assoc. Prof. Yvonne von Roy (Commercial Law, VUW)

Constitution, compensation and chaos

2.30-2.50 Simon Reeves (Lawyer, Auckland)

Agricultural regulation Acts: a legislative dog's breakfast

2.50-3.10 Doug Calhoun (A J Parke & Co)

3.10-3.30 Afternoon Tea

4.3 Public Policy and administration issues

RCD: a learning opportunity

3.30-3.50 Prof. Wallie Clark (Canterbury)

Public policy issues arrising from the illegal importation and the spread of RCD

3.50-4.10 John Martin ( Public Policy, VUW)

4.4 General discussion of Session 4

4.10- 4.30

5 The way forward in NZ - PANEL AND DISCUSION.

4.30-6.30 Dr Basil Walker (ERMA)

6.30-7.30 Drinks

Registration Form

Please enrol me for the Conference "Rabbit Control, RCD: Dilemmas and Implications"

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Conference fee $300

Members of NZAS $250

Unwaged $150

(This includes morning and afternoon teas, lunches, dinner and drinks)

There will be no one day fee.

Registration form, with payment, to be returned by 23 March to:

The Secretary
NZ Association of Scientists
P.O. Box 1874
Wellington
New Zealand

(Please make cheques payable to the New Zealand Association of Scientists)

SOME ACCOMMODATION SUGGESTIONS

If you need to book accommodation in Wellington, near the conference venue, the following three hotels are the nearest. We encourage you to book at Portland Towers; the price given here is their "corporate rate".

Portland Towers
24 Hawkstone St
Thorndon, Box 12-442
Ph +64 (0)4 473 2208
0800 805 205
Fax +64 (0)4 473 3892
Daily rate NZ$135 (GST incl)

Sharella Motor Inn
20 Glenmore St
Thorndon
Ph +64 (0)4 472 3823
0800 657 272
Fax +64 (0)4 472 3887
Daily rate NZ$125 (GST incl)

James Cook Centra Hotel
147 The Terrace
Box 2429
Wellington
Ph +64 4 499 9500
Fax +64 4 499 9800
Daily rate NZ$309 (GST incl)

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