Adjunct Senior Lecturer
Invasive species management
Phone: +61 (0)2 6125 3632
Fax: + 61 (0)2 6125 0746
E-mail: david.cook@anu.edu.au

David was born and raised in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. He completed a Bachelor of Economics degree with Honours at Murdoch University in 1995. Between 1996 and 2004 he worked as a Regional Economist for the Department of Agriculture Western Australia in Bunbury. During this period David completed a PhD with The University of Western Australia's then School of Agricultural and Resource Economics 1999-2001., and worked as a postdoctoral research assistant at the Wye campus of Imperial College London 2003-2004.. In 2005 David moved to Canberra to take up a Research Economist position with CSIRO Entomology, and an adjunct appointment with SRES.

Professional Activities

David's research interests centre around biosecurity issues. Much of his work has involved invasive species affecting agricultural industries, ranging from vertebrates, invertebrates, weeds, pathogens, fungi, aquatic and marine species. He has completed economic analyses on many different incursion responses, and on-going management strategies for naturalised pest species of regional, state and national significance. He has also investigated the social welfare implications of quarantine restrictions for various pests and diseases, comparing the traditional gains from trade and the increase in expected damage from exotic species capable of utilising the trade link as an entry pathway. David maintains a keen interest in environmental issues, many of which concern species introductions. He will be working in the newly-formed CRC for National Plant Biosecurity to investigate multi-criteria analytical frameworks to include environmental and socio-economic information into the formation of invasive species risk management policies.

Academic Highlights

Selected Publications

Cook, D.C. 2005. The 'Paradox of Thrips': Identifying a Critical Level of Investment in Pest Exclusion Activities in Western Australia. Australasian Agribusiness Review 13, http://www.agrifood.info/Publications_Review/Cook.htm. ISSN 1442-6951.

Cook, D.C., Fraser, R.W., Wilby, A, Waage, J.K. and Mumford, J.D. 2004.. Beyond the Biosecurity Horizon. In: Research Papers: Economic Services Group and Regional Economists, R. Kingwell (Ed.). Government of Western Australia - Department of Agriculture, South Perth. pp. 87-98.

Cook, D.C. 2003.. Devising a Method of 'Expected Damage' Estimation for a Polyphagous Invertebrate Pest Exotic to Western Australia". In: Research Papers: Economic Services Group and Regional Economists, R. Kingwell (Ed.). Government of Western Australia - Department of Agriculture, South Perth. pp. 160-175.

Cook, D.C. and Fraser, R.W. 2002. Exploring the Regional Implications of Interstate Quarantine Policies in Western Australia. Food Policy 27 (2): 143-157.

Cook, D.C. 2001. An Economic Evaluation of the Benefits from Import Clearance Activities in Western Australia. Australasian Agribusiness Review 9, http://www.agribusiness.asn.au/. ISSN 1442-6951.

Cook, D.C. 2001.. Impact and Beneficiary Analyses for Agricultural Protection Activities in Western Australia: Varroa Bee Mite, Tracheal Bee Mite and Bee Louse, Miscellaneous Publication No. 5/2002. Department of Agriculture Western Australia, South Perth. 26 p. ISBN 1326-4168.

Mumford, J.D., Knight, J.D., Cook, D.C., Quinlan, M.M., Pluske, J. and Leach, A.W. 2001.. Benefit Cost Analysis of Mediterranean Fruit Fly Management Options in Western Australia. Imperial College, Ascot. 52 p.