John Park
In a career spanning almost 60 years, John Park has played a significant role in reforms in the Australian international trade sector with a dedication to biosecurity integrity.
John began his career in 1967 with Rudders Customs Agency (who would eventually become a division of TNT), advancing to become a licenced customs broker in 1980 and performing a range of executive roles over 30 years. As National Customs Manager at TNT, John had a prominent role in representing the broader interests of the then emerging express courier sector, in effect being the precursor representation to the Conference of Asia-Pacific Express Carriers (CAPEC) – a prominent representative body that was later formalised in 2000.
Post his TNT days, John undertook contract work with several customs brokerages. During this time, John became the inaugural Western Australian Regional Manager for the then Customs Brokers & Forwarders Council of Australia Inc (CBFCA), representing members’ interests in statutory reporting and local logistics matters.
In June 2019, John took on a national role at Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA)/Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) as Head of Business Operations. Here, he co-designed and provided industry support on biosecurity reforms to manage brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) and khapra beetle. He actively engages with FTA/APSA members and professionally represents the customs brokerage/freight forwarding and logistics industry.
In July 2020, John was the founding secretary of the Biosecurity Treatment Provider Reference Group (BTPRG), which is open to members from onshore biosecurity treatment providers (Approved Arrangements: 12.1 Methyl Bromide Fumigation, 12.2 Sulfuryl Fluoride Fumigation and 12.3 Heat Treatment). The BTPRG aims to collaborate with the department to deliver nationally consistent communication and support to onshore biosecurity treatment providers to develop practical compliance assurances that satisfy departmental requirements.
John has worked collaboratively with the department for many years to manage and reduce biosecurity risks. John has been a strong advocate for industry, working with the biosecurity operations staff to ensure industry concerns have been heard, particularly with relation to document and assessment processes, leading industry representation over the periods of significant operational changes.
John played a prominent role in a co-design project between FTA, APSA and the department to design an application, and associated processes, to improve packing and sea freight container inspections, aligned with the international guidelines for packing goods into Cargo Transport Units.
As a trusted expert, he raises biosecurity awareness among Australian importers, depots and logistics providers and actively promotes treatment and safeguarding measures offshore. He works tirelessly to educate a diverse industry through guidance, ongoing collaboration and organising presentations to members on biosecurity measures. John has been a strong and effective advocate throughout his career, playing a key role in protecting and promoting Australia's biosecurity.
John Park was nominated by Paul Zalai from Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA).
Watch a video about their work
Introduction
This is the accessible text transcript of a 2024 Australian Biosecurity Awards winner video featuring John Park.
Transcript
My name is John Park. I am the head of business operations at the Freight and Trade Alliance. Firstly, I would like to thank the panel of judges for awarding me the Biosecurity Industry Award for 2024. Very honoured to receive such an award. I would also like to thank Paul Zalai, director and co-founder at the Freight and Trade Alliance, for nominating me.
I've been involved in our industry since 1967. Obviously seen a lot of changes. The damage that pests and disease can cause on our agricultural areas and our economy, should they enter Australia have always been there and are now more prevalent, I suppose, than ever. One of my main roles at Freight and Trade Alliance is to ensure that our members and the wider community are kept abreast of those issues and how best to meet compliance requirements, and also to protect Australia and minimise the risk of those pests and diseases coming in.
I've done this through organising regional forums, national meetings, and also one on one discussions with senior department officers, both nationally and locally. I've also fostered meetings locally between various industry sectors and the department to ensure they're aware of the requirements that are needed to be met to protect Australia's economy and agricultural areas. More recently, I have been the secretary of the Biosecurity Treatment Providers Reference Group, a group that Freight and Trade Alliance set up to give treatment providers one platform voice to talk to the department to engage on changes to guidelines, procedures, methodologies and treatment of goods and containers coming into Australia.
The department has recognised that this forum bodes well in helping to ensure that their requirements are met. I've enjoyed my working time in the industry, and it is interesting to see what the damage that these pests can do if they come into Australia. So I’ll continue to work with our members and the department to ensure that those compliance requirements are met.
Again, I would like to thank the department for the award, and also to our members for their support and to the collaboration that I get from the department over the years. Thank you very much.
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