Dr Jane Doolan recently stepped aside from her position as Deputy Secretary Water of the Department of Environment and Primary Industries, ending an illustrious 26 year career with the public service. Jane has spent the last two decades driving key policy initiatives in river health, environmental water allocations and catchment management, both at the state and national level.
The scale of Victoria’s reforms during this period speak to the importance, passion and quality of Jane’s contributions in catchment management. She was instrumental in the development of the 2004 White Paper, implementation of the Victorian River Health Strategies, the establishment of the Victorian Environmental Water Holder, and the establishment of the Catchment Management Authorities themselves.
More recently she has focused on the successful Murray Darling Basin Plan negotiations with the Commonwealth. These reforms have produced considerable change throughout Victoria and beyond.
It’s been a long and successful journey since Jane started as a graduate for the Victorian public service in 1987. It’s probably not the journey the young entomologist (with a doctorate in the ecology of the Bladder Cicada) was expecting – but it’s certainly a journey appreciated by her peers.
Thank you Jane for your valuable contribution to integrated catchment management. The RBMS wishes you all the best for your future endeavours.