The intent of this performance review is to assess APL’s efficiency and effectiveness, including APL’s accountability and transparency with government, levy payers and industry stakeholders. It will also assess APL’s responsiveness to the government’s Research and Development (R&D) priorities, meeting its SFA obligations, implementing its plans, and the wider public good benefits of its activities.

This review is being conducted between 1 March 2014 and 9 June 2014.

Stakeholder involvement, particularly APL members and non-member producers, is important to the success of this independent review. ACIL Allen will be facilitating eight telephone-based focus groups which APL members and non-member producers are invited to participate in.

The focus groups will be held for delegates and other members and non-members at the following times (*All times are Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time):

Delegate members:

• Wednesday, 19 March – 10am
• Thursday, 27 March – 2pm
• Friday 28 March – 10am.

Other members and non-members:

• Wednesday, 19 March – 2pm
• Thursday, 27 March – 10am
• Friday, 28 March – 2pm
• Tuesday, 1 April – 10am
• Tuesday, 1 April – 2pm.

Each focus group will last for around one hour and participation in the telephone focus group is free. There is no travel required and producers will telephone in through a free-call facility.

To register to participate in a focus group, please send an email to [email protected] or telephone Dr Alex Gash on 02 6103 8200. You will need to provide your name, email, contact telephone number and interest (e.g. APL member, delegate, non-member producer, etc).

The number of participants in each focus group is limited so please indicate at least two suitable times.