Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia

The Hon Brendon Grylls MLA, Leader of the Nationals WA and Minister for Regional Development and Lands

Making regional Western Australia a better place to live, work and invest is the driving philosophy behind the Hon. Brendon Grylls, Minister for Regional Development; Lands.

In November 2001 Mr Grylls won a State by-election to become the Member for Merredin.

He was elected Leader of The Nationals WA in 2005 and went on to lead his party into the 2008 election as a stand-alone, independent party. This policy initiative resulted in The Nationals WA gaining the balance of power in both Houses of the Western Australian Parliament.

In September 2008, The Nationals WA and the Liberal Party formed an alliance in government. The Royalties for Regions policy underpins the State Government’s long-term focus on regional development.

Through this historic agreement, the equivalent of 25per cent of the State's mining and petroleum royalty revenue (up to a maximum of $1billion), per annum, will be invested annually in regional Western Australian infrastructure, community projects and services.

Mayor Ron Yuryevich AM RFD, City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Mayor Ron Yuryevich has been involved in Local Government since 1988. He was re-elected Mayor in 2007 for a further 4 year term and is currently in his 12th year as Mayor of the City of Kalgoorlie.

He has represented Local Government in WA as past president of Country Urban Councils Association, and president of WA Municipal Association. He has served many years as the state representative of various bodies including the Australian Airports Association and as the State Representative of the Federal Governments Regional Development Program, “Regional Development Australia”. He has considerable experience in regional development issues and a strong business background.

He has been appointed to the boards of HBF Healthguard (Deputy Chairman / Director) Local Government Advisory Board and the Local Government Insurance Board.

He was appointed a Member of the Order Of Australia (AM) in the Australia day awards 2004.

He served as an Officer in the Australian Army Reserve for a period of 26 Years and was awarded the Reserve Force Decoration (RFD)

The Hon Fred Chaney AO, Chair, Desert Knowledge Australia

The Hon Fred Chaney AO is Chair of Desert Knowledge Australia. Formerly a lawyer, Fred served as a Liberal Senator for WA (1974-90) and a Member of the House of Representatives (1990-93). He held various Ministerial appointments in the Fraser government, including Aboriginal Affairs. After leaving Parliament in 1993 he undertook research into Aboriginal Affairs policy and administration as a Research Fellow at the University of WA. He was Chancellor of Murdoch University for eight years until early 2003 and retired as a deputy president of the National Native Title Tribunal in April 2007.

Nicole Roocke, Director, The Chamber of Minerals and Energy Western Australia

Having been appointed Director, in December 2007 Nicole Roocke has responsibility for the portfolios covering Occupational Safety and Health, Human Resources, Education and Training, Immigration, Skill shortage initiatives and Finance.

Prior to this Nicole was employed at the CMEWA as the Executive Officer, Safety and Health at CME for a period of four and a half years where she was responsible for coordinating industry input on a variety of government regulatory and policy issues and facilitating communications within the minerals and resources sector on safety and health in WA.

Prior to joining CME, Nicole was employed in a policy position at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA as an adviser, health and has also worked extensively in the area of workers' compensation and injury management having undertaken policy and systems development.

Nicole is a registered psychologist and has completed a Masters of Science in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from UWA. She is currently completing a Masters in Risk Management from UNSW.

Professor Matthew Tonts, Director of the Institute for Regional Development, University of Western Australia

Matthew Tonts is Professor of Geography and Director of the Institute for Regional Development at The University of Western Australia. His work focuses on economic development, employment, industry planning, and population dynamics, and has been involved in research on regional issues in Australia, North America and Europe.

Geoff Carmody, Director, Geoff Carmody & Associates

Geoff Carmody is currently Director, Geoff Carmody & Associates. He was the co-founder of Access Economics in 1988 and continues contracting work with that Company.

Before then, he worked in key policy areas in the Federal Treasury, including Budget, wages and foreign investment. He represented Australia at the IMF and later at the OECD.

He has worked on projects ranging from numerous taxation policy submissions to Federal & State Governments, through to National Wage Case advocacy and extensive analysis for Australia’s tourism industry. He was involved in the development of Fightback! for the Hewson Opposition in the early 1990s, and other policy costings for Federal and State Oppositions before and since, including costing the Labor Opposition’s Policy Platform for the 2001 federal Election. He has been an advisor to the Business Coalition for Tax Reform since the mid-1990s.

In 1996 he was Executive Officer for the National Commission of Audit.

From January 2004 to May 2006 he was a Director on the Board of Patrick Corporation.

He was also a Panel Member of COAG’s Energy Reform Implementation Group (ERIG) that investigated practical reform options for Australia’s electricity markets and reported to COAG on this matter in January 2007.

Geoff has recently been appointed as Chair, Sustainable Budget Commission, in South Australia. This engagement is expected to continue until around mid-July 2010.

Kaely Woods – Deputy General Manager, Business Support, Indigenous Business Australia

Kaely is Deputy General Manager of Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), an Indigenous organisation established by the Australian government to supports Indigenous economic development, primarily through business and home ownership. At IBA, Kaely leads the development of new policy and partnership approaches with Indigenous groups, industry and government to increase these opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, as well as IBA’s Construction and Corporate support functions.

Kaely’s background spans more than 20 years in Indigenous affairs and includes senior roles in Commonwealth central agencies dealing with Indigenous policy issues, particularly native title and land rights, complemented by tertiary studies in economics and Indigenous studies. Kaely is a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Kim Horne, Executive Director, People, Envirnoment and Corporate Affairs, Alcoa of Australia

Kim Horne is currently Executive Director People, Environment and Corporate Affairs for Alcoa of Australia, the global leader in alumina production and Australia’s sixth largest resources sector exporter.

Alcoa is an integrated business comprised of bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminum smelting, rolling and canned sheet products, operating in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.

Kim commenced his career with Alcoa World Alumina Australia over thirty years ago, when in January 1974 he commenced working at the Jarrahdale Mine in the Survey department. Through the early 1980’s Kim progressed to fill various staff positions in the Production department at Jarrahdale.

Kim is also currently holding the position of President of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia.

In 1986-1987, Kim successfully led the AWU Job Redesign project that created a new Skill Base Pay and Training System for all of Alcoa’s mines.

From 1987 to 1993, Kim was the Production/Planning Manager for the Huntly Mine. While in this role, Kim was involved with the successful closure of the Del Park Mine and relocation of people and infrastructure to the larger amalgamated Huntly Mine.

From 1993 to 1995 Kim was the Mine Manager of the Willowdale Mine and from 1995 to 1997 he was Mine Manager of the Jarrahdale Mine – the oldest of Alcoa’s West Australian bauxite mines. From 1997 to 2000 Kim was appointed to the position of Mine Manager of the Huntly Mine – the world’s largest bauxite mine, supplying ore to two refineries via a dual conveyor belt and rail system. While in this role, Kim also successfully headed the closure of the Jarrahdale Mine.

In 2000 Kim was appointed to the position of Manager of Mines for WA Operations and in this capacity looked after the operation of the Huntly and Willowdale mines, the Marrinup nursery and the closure and rehabilitation of the Hedges gold mine.

From May 2005 to mid 2006, Kim was appointed to the position of Refinery Manager at Alcoa World Alumina Australia’s Pinjarra Refinery. Alcoa is the largest alumina producer in the world, and Pinjarra, one of the refineries in Western Australia, is one of the largest refineries in the world.

Professor Peter Newman, Board of Infrastructure Australia, Chair of Habitat for Humanity in WA and
Sustainable Policy Institute, Curtin University

Peter Newman is the Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University and is on the Board of Infrastructure Australia that is funding infrastructure for the long term sustainability of Australian cities. He has recently returned from a North American and Australian tour promoting his two new books ‘Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change’ and ‘Green Urbanism Down Under’, both written with Tim Beatley. In 2001-3 Peter directed the production of WA’s Sustainability Strategy in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. It was the first state sustainability strategy in the world. In 2004-5 he was a Sustainability Commissioner in Sydney advising the government on planning issues. In 2006/7 he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Virginia Charlottesville where he wrote his new books. In Perth, Peter is best known for his work in saving, reviving and extending the city’s rail system. Peter invented the term ‘automobile dependence’ to describe how we have created cities where we have to drive everywhere. For 30 years since he attended Stanford University during the first oil crisis he has been warning cities about preparing for peak oil. Peter’s book with Jeff Kenworthy 'Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence' was launched in the White House in 1999. He was a Councillor in the City of Fremantle from 1976-80 where he still lives.

Cr Les Tyrell, OAM, Mayor, Townsville City Council

Les Tyrell has been Mayor of the City of Thuringowa since 1991. In 2008, he became the Mayor Elect of the largest city in regional Queensland, which was the result of the amalgamation of Townsville and Thuringowa cities.

His involvement with local government commenced when he was elected as Councillor to the then Thuringowa Shire in 1979. He spent two terms (six years) as Deputy Mayor, between 1982 and 1991.

Les has spent all but 18 months of his life in North Queensland, living in places such as Wangan, Tully, Ingham, Innisfail, Cairns and Townsville/Thuringowa.

Originally from an accounting background, he spent several years in management and sales positions in the timber and hardware industries. He was also self-employed for a period of 12 years, establishing his own financial services consultancy.

In 2003, Les was awarded the Centenary Medal for distinguished service to local government.

Awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia (January 2009) for his outstanding services to local government and to the community of Thuringowa.

He is an Executive Member of the Local Government Association of Queensland and a Director/Trustee of LG Super.

Besides sitting on numerous Council and community committees, Les is currently the Chair of the Breakwater Island Casino Community Benefit Fund and Chair of the Townsville Local Disaster Management Group.

He is Deputy Chair of Townsville Enterprise Limited.

Les is the patron of numerous sporting, charitable and community groups and a past School P & C President. He is a past member of the Queensland Council of School P & C's and President of Kennedy Area Scout Association.

Les has been given Life Member (Senator) of Jaycees and is a recipient of Lions International Community Award/Centenary Medal. He is an Honorary Member of City of Thuringowa Lions Club.

Les is married to Pat and has six children, comprising of five sons and one daughter.

Dr Lisa Pollard, Rural and Regional Queensland, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Lisa Pollard has a wide range of experience across State Government and Industry. She has recently led policy work in the Queensland State Government around the social policy aspects of the SEQ Regional Plan and Infrastructure Program, the Blueprint for the Bush and the Sustainable Resource Communities policy. Prior to this Lisa was consulting with Sinclair Knight Merz on social planning and social impact assessment. Born in Western Australia, Lisa moved to Queensland in 1994 and completed her PhD on Social Impact Assessment in Australia through Murdoch University in 2000. Lisa is currently Manager, Rural and Regional Queensland in the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.

Jay Hardison, Manager, Property & Economic Development, City of Belmont

Jay Hardison has almost 20 years experience in the areas of local economic and community development. Jay’s experience spans employment with both Local and State Government and as a consultant for local communities. Jay is currently the Manager of Property & Economic Development at the City of Belmont. Jay formal qualifications are a Bachelor of Arts Psychology/Education and a Graduate Diploma in Public Sector Management.

A pioneer, Jay was in the first group of Western Australians working in the local economic development field during the early 1990s through the seminal Office of Labour Market Adjustment program. Since that time he has continued to play a leadership role in promoting Local Economic Development to Western Australian Local Governments. Jay was a board member of the Perth Area Consultative Committee since its inception. He is also the Chair and one of the founding members of Economic Development Australia in Western Australia.

Gerry Morvell

Gerry Morvell is a consultant advisor on climate change, energy and environment issues and has provided strategic advice to governments, industry and research organisations involved in development of low emission energy strategies, including renewable energy and carbon capture and storage. Until mid 2007 he was a senior executive in the Australian Greenhouse Office of the Australian Government where he was responsible for high level policy and program advice to Federal Ministers on climate change, energy and industry issues.

Prior to that he held a range of senior executive positions in the Australian Government Department of the Environment. He was an Australian representative to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, led the Commonwealth Coastal Taskforce and was a member of the CSIRO Energy and Transport Sectoral Advisory Council. He has held positions with international organisations including Co-Chair of the Asia Pacific Partnership Renewable Energy and Distributed Generation Taskforce, Co-chair of the Torres Strait Environment Management Committee and Head of business liaison and communications in the United Nations Secretariat for the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Gerry Chairs the Boards of Conservation Volunteers Australia, Conservation Volunteers New Zealand and Naturewise Tours.

Susi Tegen

Susi Tegen and her partner (and children) are livestock and crop farmers from the Limestone Coast, in the south-east of South Australia. She is the Managing Director of 'FREE Eyre' a primary producer owned and driven company which identifies, incubates and commercialises new businesses opportunities for the Eyre Peninsula.

Susi has been committed to primary industries and its future sustainability for the past twenty years, not only on farm but through her involvement as Deputy Chair of Farmsafe SA and Deputy Chair of FarmBis SA.

She was CEO of the Limestone Coast of Division of General Practice for more than 8 years. The organisation focused on the sustainability of the medical services in rural communities which included recruitment, retention and training of doctors and community medical and health projects.

Susi is the 2009 RIRDC SA Rural Woman of the Year, a Director of the Adelaide Western General Practice Network and is a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Program.

Associate Professor Peter Waterman RFD, Coordinator Climate Change, Coasts and Catchments, University of Sunshine Coast

Peter Waterman is an environmental planner with over 37 years professional experience working for governmental and private sector clients. Professional work has encompassed:

• strategic and statutory planning
• intergovernmental relations
• environmental research (physical, biological, social, economic and cultural); public and environmental health, and
• natural resource and environmental management

Peter's formal professional qualifications are in geography, social science, urban planning and environmental management.Commencing work as an environmental planning consultant in 1970, Peter has carried out a large number of land use planning and environmental impact and risk assessments in all Australian States and Territories as well as overseas. Through this work Peter has become an acknowledged leader in developing integrated and holistic approaches to the environmental management of natural systems, industrial facilities and built infrastructure with a geographic focus on the coastal zone.

On becoming actively involved with the USC in 2001, Peter has represented the University:

• as the Convenor of the Port of Brisbane Community Consultative Committee (2001-07)
• on the Steering Committee of the Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) conferences
• as a Director of the Consortium for Integrated Resources Management (CIRM), and
• on the Management Group for the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF)

Dr Heinz Schandl, CSIRO

With a background in Sociology and Social and Economic Sciences, Dr Heinz Schandl investigates the co-evolution of social and ecological systems and their transition to sustainability including measuring and modelling of social and metabolic change. His research establishes information systems for resource use and emissions, identifies options for sustainable production and consumption and transition management and provides information to support planning, decision making and policy formulation in Australia and internationally.

Dr Heinz Schandl leads a research group for Social Systems Analysis in the Social and Economic Sciences Program and a research area on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources within the Sustainable Cities and Coasts theme of the Climate Adaptation Flagship at CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.

Gail McGowan, Acting Deputy Director General, State Initiatives, Department of State Development

Gail McGowan was seconded to the then Department of Industry and Resources in August 2008 to coordinate the establishment of the Kimberley LNG Precinct. Since January 2009 she has also had responsibility for other major state priorities including the Oakajee and Mid-West and Ord-East Kimberley expansion projects.

Gail has extensive experience in senior executive positions within the Western Australian and Australian public sectors in areas as diverse as occupational safety and health, environment, vocational education and training and women's policy. She has worked as an adviser and chief of staff to both State and Federal Ministers.

With post graduate qualifications in public policy, Gail is focussed on working with stakeholders both within and outside the public sector to achieve practical outcomes.

Maureen Dodd, Chair of Mundatharrda, Board of Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre

Lorraine Fitzpatrick, Senior Project Office, Royalties for Regions, Gascoyne Development Commission

Maureen Dodd is a direct descendant of the Yinggarda people, traditional owners of the land west of the Kennedy ranges and through to the coast, in WA's Gascoyne region. Maureen was a founding committee member and is a Board member of the Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre. She is Chairperson of Mundatharrda Aboriginal Corporation and working to establish cultural tourism opportunities for her extended family in the Kennedy Ranges. Maureen has been involved in health and community development issues since the 1970s and was part of a delegation which travelled to China in 1981 to study the "Barefoot Doctors" scheme. She is a great believer in the efficacy of traditional medicine and people in the community where she lives still use bush medicines.

Lorraine Fitzpatrick has worked in the cultural industries sector for more than 20 years. For at least half of her career she has worked in regional and remote communities. In 2007 she embarked on a new and challenging adventure as the manager of the Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre, charged with turning an empty building into a viable and vibrant Aboriginal Cultural Centre with the support of the traditional owners and the four other language groups represented by the Centre. She has served as Vice Chair of Museums Australia national council since 2006.

Graham Thomson, Chairman, Goldfields Esperance Development Commission

Originally from a farming background in the Wheatbelt, Graham Thomson spent 18 years in the mining industry in the Pilbara and was actively involved in local government as Deputy President of the Roebourne Shire Council, prior to relocating to Kalgoorlie-Boulder 19 years ago.

Graham has served nine years as a City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Councillor, part of this term as Deputy Mayor. He has been a Board member of the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission since 2004 and served as Deputy Chairman for a period of time until his appointment as Chairman in January 2008.

His appointment in October 2009 as Chairman of the State's peak regional development body, the Regional Development Council by the Minister for Regional Development is recognition of his wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise in business, community, industry and government affairs and commitment to the long-term economic and social sustainability of regional Western Australia.

Graham operates a consultancy business and has extensive involvement in regional and community organisations including the internationally acclaimed Diggers and Dealers mining forum; LMS Ministries Ltd that includes commAccom Community Housing, Family Centre and the Regional Chaplaincy Service. He is also an organiser of the National Reconciliation Forum and an adviser to the Australian Childrens Trust.

Mike Crowe, Networking and Communications Manager, Desert Knowledge Australia

Mike Crowe joined Desert Knowledge Australia in Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory in July 2000. As Networking and Communications Manager he plays a key role in the development of business and knowledge networks for an organisation that is linking the people and businesses of inland Australia to national and world markets.

His major current undertaking is the development of cross borders business networks project linking nine desert Australian regions and building upon the Linked Business Networks Pilot Project and the Our Outback Tourism report.

Mike was a finalist in the 2006 Northern Territory Innovation Award.

He has extensive senior management experience across a range of organisations including:

• Commercial Manager for the internationally recognised Alice Springs Desert Park
• Regional Manager for the Northern Territory Department of Sport and Recreation
• Regional Manager and Deputy Director for the Northern Territory
• Open College which provided training to people in remote Northern Territory communities.

Mike has been based in Alice Springs since 1991. Prior to that he worked in Alaska, as a trekking leader for Raleigh International, and in Darwin, as the executive officer of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Youth Program and as a high school mathematics and economics teacher.

Mike has a Masters of International Management from Charles Darwin University as well as a Bachelor of Arts (Mathematics and Physics) and Diploma of Education from Macquarie University.

Samantha Fielder

Samantha Fielder is 14 years old. Of herself she says:

I'm a proud Goldfields student born and bred here in Kalgoorlie. I am currently studying Year 10 at John Paul College and am looking forward to finishing high school and going on to university. I am passionate about the environment and have my own worm farm and composting bin at home. I have worked with my school over the past 18 months to introduce recycling and to get environmental issues recognised by teachers.

I became involved with Junior Landcare in early 2008 through one of the community open days at Karlkula Park. Since then I have helped out at the nursery on a regular basis as well as helping out at community group events. In 2008 I also attended the WA Youth Environment Conference in Perth with 4 other students from Kalgoorlie. This allowed me to see how other groups have enhanced their local natural parklands through community involvement.

I also joined Millennium Kids in 2008 and worked with a range of local groups including KBULG in developing a program called The Quest. This involved making links between our local environment and the Beijing Olympics with students from Kwinana, Kalgoorlie and Esperance because the resources for the medals at the Olympics came from these areas. I have also attended a leadership camp with 7 other Kalgoorlie youth and developed my skills to work with other youth to develop and design local projects.

I have also become a Youth Councillor for the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and actively lobby for environmental issues through the Youth Council. This year I have attended the Siemens Science Program at Curtin University through Rotary, the United Nations Youth Conference in Perth and I am about to present a climate change workshop to 50 local Kalgoorlie students called The Big Switch Experiment.

I have been invited to attend the Bright Green Youth Conference in Sonderborg, Denmark, and I intend to take local issues and concerns from the youth of Kalgoorlie to a world stage. There are only 4 youth from Western Australia attending the conference and I am the only regional representative. I will have the opportunity to participate in workshops and have the privilege to work with international scientists at the camp on realistic ideas that can be actively put in place and bring back perspectives of other youth from around the world.

In my spare time I like to read, play basket ball and volley ball, walk my dog, feed my worms and grow my own vegetables in our backyard.

Barb Madden, Co-owner, Smithfield Feedlot and Chief Finance Officer, Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council

Barb Madden is a co-owner and Chief Finance Officer of Smithfield Feedlot, a 20,000 head intensive beef production enterprise, situated in Proston, south east Queensland. Barb is also the part-time Chief Finance Officer for the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council.

Barb was honoured as Queensland's Rural Woman of the Year for 2009, along with National Runner Up - Rural Woman of the Year. She was awarded these prestigious honours based on her vision for primary industries in creating national partnerships between indigenous beef producers and key supply chain sectors, through the development of a commercially sustainable cattle feeding and training business model.

Barb is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program.

Paul Rosair, Acting Director General, WA Department of Regional Development and Lands

Paul Rosair is the Acting Director General for the new Department of Regional Development and Lands that was established on 1 July 2009. He is on secondment from the Department of Water where he holds the position of Director of Regional Management and Water Information. He has worked in numerous senior government roles across the environment, Indigenous capacity building, infrastructure, planning and natural resources management portfolios. He also has extensive experience working in regional Western Australia and has a broad perspective on issues of particular importance to regional areas.