Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association Ltd Newsletter

 
Welcome
 
Welcome to the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association Christmas Newsletter 2015 edition. Please read for more details below or visit our website for the online version.
Seasons Greetings from AEPMA

With Christmas just around the corner, on behalf of the Board and staff at AEPMA, we wish you and your family a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year

Please note that the AEPMA office will be close on Friday 18th December, 2015 and re-open on Monday 11th January, 2016.  If you have an urgent matter, please contact your Executive Director, Stephen Ware, on 0418 976 643. 

Pest Manager of the Year 2016

Nominations for Pest Manager of the Year 2016 are opening soon.  Thank you to BASF who have again generously agreed to sponsor the national award.  Awards like this would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsor and without your participation.  The winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner at the FAOPMA Conference in September 2016.  More information is available on the AEPMA website.

New Termidor® and Goliath® technology for the toolkit

Pest control operators around Australia are getting their hands on the next generation Termidor technology; Termidor Dry and Termidor Foam, as well as a new Goliath® Liquid Ant Bait. These innovations by global chemical company BASF, will provide pest control operators with new professional options. 

At a series of launch events across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in November, BASF’s pest control team lead by Commercial Manager Stewart Paterson presented the benefits of the new products. 

One of the highlights of the event was Dr David Elmouttie, the team’s Technical Specialist, conducting an on-site experiment to show how Termidor Foam expands and holds in place. The new foam, which can be applied though BASF’s specially modified System III has been specifically formulated as a dry foam and has remarkable properties so it doesn’t turn to liquid like conventional foams.  (Read more)

Aussie Bed Bugs - Still in the Thick of it

Finding bed bugs a little difficult to control? Got a few hardy survivors that just refuse to go away? Well, there may actually be a surprising reason behind it, according to David Lilly at the Department of Medical Entomology, University of Sydney.

In the last few years I have been studying bed bugs collected from across Australia and screening them for resistance to pyrethroids. And what we’ve found is that, essentially, all of the bed bugs we’ve collected are resistant, but that the magnitude of the resistance often varies from strain to strain. (Read more)

Customer Service the key for Bob Gunn Termite Solutions - Pest Manager of the Year - QLD

Brisbane based Bob Gunn Termite Solutions was last year’s big winner of the Pest Manager of the Year Awards, taking out 3 awards, including the National Pest Manager of the Year Award as well as winning this year’s Pest Manager of the Year - QLD.

Shane Osborne from Bob Gunn’s says the wins meant a lot to the business.  He says, “What it means for the organisation is that we’ve got some recognition in the industry.  The whole team is very happy that we won.  Also our customers are also pleased that we’ve won the award, it has also bought new customers who feel more confident in dealing with us, because of the award.  So overall for the business and for our customers it was a great result.”  (Read more)

The Employee who cried sick - an IR Update

Following the classic fable of crying wolf, an employee who was sacked for legitimately taking sick leave, has lost his adverse action claim in a Federal Court appeal because of his prior dishonest behaviour. 

The employee applied for two days annual leave over the Anzac Day weekend. When his employer rejected the application, the employee threatened to take sick leave instead and get a medical certificate. The employee took the days off, as threatened, and presented a sick certificate on his return to work. 

The employee was terminated because the manager making the decision genuinely believed he was being dishonest , in that he had planned to take sick leave whether he was sick or not and obtained a medical certificate to circumvent the employer’s refusal of his annual leave request.   (Read more)

Fire Ant Programme continues after 14 years

On Tuesday, November 17th, AEPMA was invited to the ceremonial retirement of ‘Mikey’, a Labrador dog who, after seven years of service, was retiring from Biosecurity Queensland.

AEPMA, as one of the organisations regularly consulted by Biosecurity Queensland was invited to the festivities.  Attending the function were Stephen Ware Executive Director AEPMA, Phil Sayer of Garrards and Peter Ambrose-Pearce of Syngenta.

Industry took the opportunity to wave the flag for the professional pest management industry.  The Queensland Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk thanked the industry for our attendance and as an aside, indicated that she would be engaging a member to undertake a termite inspection of her house.

The function also enabled industry to engage with senior departmental officers of Biosecurity Queensland.  It is hoped that a further meeting will occur in the first half of 2016.

Six business success factors from Termitrust WA - Pest Manager of the Year – WA

The Termimesh national network began in 1992 with the launch of their innovative mesh termite barrier for preconstruction. Over the past decade, the network diversified into residential and commercial pest control.  They also rebranded to Termi Home & Commercial and its pest control division was renamed Termitrust. 

Since then Termitrust WA has steadily grown each year and is now a key provider in Western Australia.  

Operations Manager Anthony D’Amico says “Winning the Pest Manager of the Year was a tribute to the passion and commitment of our team and our common goal of delivering exceptional service to all our residential and commercial clients.”  (Read more)

It’s the Beading that keep’s them feeding!  Bayer’s new Maxforce® Fusion Cockroach Gel with TLC Technology

Bayer has just launched its new and innovative Maxforce® Fusion Cockroach Gel. Maxforce Fusion is the next generation gel against cockroaches, both large and small.  Incorporating for the first time, a patented fusion technology, known as TLC control (Total Life Cycle Control), incorporating a feeding stimulant and capsule technology within the gel matrix (blue beads). 

Jeff Einam, Technical & Regulatory Affairs Manager at Bayer, said “This unique feeding stimulant has been proven to dramatically decrease the percentage of nymphs in the population.  The reduction is due to an increased direct consumption of bait by nymphs, resulting in a long term inability for populations to recover.”  (Read more)

Pestec celebrates milestone win with staff and customers

Pestec celebrated being named Australian Pest Manager of the Year and NSW Pest Manager of the Year for the second year running with 80 of their best customers, suppliers and staff on a 4-hour cruise around stunning Sydney Harbour in October. 

Pestec owners, Rowan and Pania Gregson, said they wanted a special way of thanking all of the people who have supported Pestec over the past 16 years. “Being named the best in the country is such a significant achievement we really wanted to celebrate in a significant way,” said Rowan. “Some of these customers have been with me since before I even started Pestec so this was a perfect opportunity to say thank you,” he said.   (Read more)

A message from NSW State Chairman

A meeting of the AEPMA NSW ACT State Council was held at the office of Agserv Pty Ltd at Silverwater, NSW on the 27 October 2015.

Many topics were discussed such as the review of Pest Management competencies, work on the new Code of Practice for Termite Management In and Around Existing Buildings, Code of Practice for Whole of Termite Management in new Buildings and the Code for Training the Pest Management Industry.

The AEPMA photographic competition is in full swing……with summer well under way now is the time to take pictures about cockroaches or termite problems.

Please help make this project a success!!   (Read more)

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Newsletter Contributions / Comments

Have something to you want to add to the Newsletter?

AEPMA welcomes any contributions or suggestions for articles that are relevant to the industry.  Simply forward your article or suggestion to kirsten.winlaw@aepma.com.au.

Or do you have something to say about an article you’ve read in the Newsletter?  Why not leave your feedback on our Facebook page.

Upcoming Events

5 December 2015 - AEPMA Christmas Party, Hendra, Brisbane.

Don't forget to mark your diaries for the 26th FAOPMA Conference "Solving Pest Problems" to be held 14-16 September 2016 on the Gold Coast.

For further information on any of the events above, please do not hesitate to contact the National Office on 1300 307 114.
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