John McVeigh is the Director of the Southern Queensland Northern New South Wales Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, and the Executive Director of the University of Southern Queensland’s Institute for Resilient Regions, which focusses on social sciences research and engagement to assist regional communities build resilience and adapt successfully to change.
He is Chair of Toowoomba Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE), one of the nation’s leading regional economic development organisations; Chair of the Regional Economies Centre of Excellence (RECoE), a research collaboration between USQ, UQ, JCU and CQU; a Board Member of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland and has been a steering committee member of the AgTech & Logistics Hub, a challenge led open innovation platform supported by the Queensland Government, USQ, UQ and the private sector.
John was previously the Federal Member for Groom. He served in Cabinet as Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government. Prior to federal politics John was the State Member for Toowoomba South and served as Queensland Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Shadow Minister for Science, Information Technology and Innovation.
Prior to public life John led an agribusiness management consulting practice, managing local and international irrigation, aquaculture, beef, cotton, dairy, grains, horticulture, timber, wool and food processing projects.