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Fast five – with Sharne Gibbons

22 Feb

Over the next few months, we’re catching up with members of the National Biosecurity Response Team (NBRT) as part of our Fast Five series, where we ask NBRT members five questions about their experience on the team. The NBRT is a group of trained and experienced personnel that may be deployed to assist a jurisdiction in the response to biosecurity incidents.

This time we caught up with Sharne Gibbons, who is the Assistant Director of Biosecurity, Trade and Compliance Communication at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, and part of the NBRT public information function.

1. What’s your experience been like as a member of the NBRT?  

Very positive.  I really appreciate being able to work with this great group of people who have skills and experience in different areas of incident management.  Working at the national level, and being office-based, I like working with some of the NBRT team who have more of an on-the-ground role.

2. If you had to use one word to describe the NBRT, what would it be?

Inspirational

3. What’s something you’ve learnt as a result of being a member of the NBRT?

I enjoy any type of emergency management training, but I’ve really enjoyed participating in exercises in other jurisdictions and learning about the different industries we support.  I’ve been to abalone farms, feedlots, in saleyards and have even been decked out in bee keepers gear! As a comms person, it’s good to learn about what industry’s needs are in terms of information during an incident, and how they want to receive that information. It’s also good to learn about what other jurisdictions have done in terms of state-based campaigns.

4. What is a key highlight you’ve had as a member of the NBRT?

I think the social aspect has been important.  They’re a friendly bunch and when you get a three-year stint on the team, you get to build some good working relationships.

5. Now for a fun question – what is your go-to song to get amped up? 

Well I like a bit of kick-arse country rock music, so I’m into Brothers Osborne at the moment.

Last reviewed: 01/02/2021