Trent Twomey

2015 College Recipient. College of Medicine and Dentistry

Trent Twomey is the Chairman of the North Queensland Primary Healthcare Network and Chairman of Advance Cairns, among other roles.

Mr Twomey was jointly enrolled in business and pharmacy degrees while at James Cook University. In the 10 years since his graduation, Mr Twomey has consistently worked to serve the community of Northern Australia.

Having purchased his first pharmacy in 2008, Mr Twomey is now a partner in a group of four pharmacies in North Queensland. Proving his passion for the profession, and particularly pharmacy education, Mr Twomey was the National President of the Australian College of Pharmacy from 2011 to 2014. He is also currently serving as a National Councillor of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the peak body representing community pharmacy in Australia.

Mr Twomey plays an integral role negotiating with government, pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers and other organisations. This ultimately helps to ensure the most appropriate and efficient system of delivering medicines, medication management and related services to the Australian public. He was a member of the negotiating team that signed the $18.9 billion five-year agreement that governs the delivery of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

In 2013, Mr Twomey was appointed Chairman of Advance Cairns, the peak economic development and advocacy organisation for Tropical North Queensland. Since 2014, Mr Twomey has been a member of the Council of James Cook University. He holds a Governor in Council appointment on behalf of the Queensland Government.

Mr Twomey is also a Northern Australia Advisory Group Member, providing advice on developing Northern Australia to the members of the Strategic Partnership, which includes the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the Premiers of Queensland and Western Australia and the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

Mr Twomey founded the Northern Australia Alliance, a partnership between Broome Future, Chamber of Commerce Northern Territory and Advance Cairns.

He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Institute of Management, the Australian College of Pharmacy, a Council Member of the Queensland Futures Institute, and a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.

Mr Twomey’s latest appointment is as Chairman for the Northern Queensland Primary Healthcare Network. He is the first pharmacist in Australia, and the first JCU graduate, to serve as Chair on such a network.

Trent Twomey graduated from James Cook University Townsville in 2005 with a Bachelor of Pharmacy and from Cairns in 2006 with a Bachelor of Business.