FRDC’s new General Manager Stakeholder Engagement is a communications leader with extensive experience in rural industries and government relations and a background in commercial fishing.
FRDC General Manager Stakeholder Engagement Kylie Dunstan with Senator The Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry at a recent National Press Club lunch.
Kylie Dunstan was formerly Head of Government Business at media monitoring company, Isentia, and Head of Corporate Affairs at Grains Research and Development Corporation. She held a previous role at FRDC as Communication and Extension Manager and worked for the former Queensland Commercial Fishermen’s Organisation. Kylie is also a co-owner and director of a commercial fishing company based in Bundaberg.
Kylie says she is excited to again be working in fishing and aquaculture.
Kylie is focussed on fostering relationships with key stakeholders, including the Australian government and industry and community bodies representing Indigenous, commercial and recreational fishing and aquaculture, to strengthen support for FRDC priorities and strategies.
She leads FRDC’s new network of seven extension officers, who are based in Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales and the FRDC communications team.
Kylie recently met with a range of seafood producers and processors in Bundaberg to discuss current challenges and took part in the Seafood Directions conference in Brisbane.
“I am passionately committed to delivering impact for Australian fishing and aquaculture through communication and extension initiatives to raise awareness, build understanding and encourage adoption of research findings,” she says.
“This will help to ensure the sustainability and growth of Australian fishing and aquaculture as envisaged in the National Fisheries Plan.
“FRDC is committed to achieving this vision by supporting and empowering all those involved in commercial, Indigenous and recreational fishing and aquaculture, the post-harvest sector, fisheries research, and members of the public who eat seafood or otherwise have an interest in fisheries.”
