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Speakers at the Australian Disasters Conference 2009

Naomi BrownNaomi Brown
CEO, Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council

Naomi Brown has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) since December 2006.

Naomi is also a Board member of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) and the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC).

Naomi took up the role of Director Community Safety at the Country Fire Authority (CFA) of Victoria in 2003. She had previously worked in her home state of Western Australia with the WA Fire and Emergency Services (FESA) for five years. She spent time there as Executive Director Community Safety and also Executive Director State Emergency Service and Volunteer Marine Rescue.

She has a Diploma in Teaching, Graduate Diplomas in Special Education and Business and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.

 

Cath HalbertCath Halbert
First Assistant Secretary, Department of Health and Ageing

Cath Halbert heads the Office of Health Protection in the Department of Health and Ageing.  The Office was created to significantly boost Australia’s capacity to prepare for and respond to major health emergencies.  Activities include:

Prior to taking up this position, Cath headed the Policy and International Branch in the Portfolio Strategies Division of the Department of Health and Ageing, where a priority was supporting global and regional pandemic preparedness initiatives.

Prior to joining the Department of Health and Ageing, Cath worked at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet where she had responsibility for a number of social policy issues.

 

John Hamilton CNZM, MVOJohn Hamilton CNZM, MVO
Director of the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (New Zealand)

John Hamilton comes from Porangahau in Central Hawkes Bay. After leaving school at Christ’s College in 1971, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Wigram and gained a Bachelor of Science degree before becoming a helicopter pilot.

During his 35 year career with the RNZAF John has enjoyed a variety of exchange, training and command appointments. In 1980 he completed a two year exchange with the RAAF flying Iroquois helicopters; he attended the Royal Air Force staff course in Britain in 1984 and the USAF Air War College in Alabama in 1990.

John has held command and leadership appointments at all levels of the RNZAF including command of No 3 Squadron, the Operations Wing at Whenuapai, Base Commander at Ohakea, and Air Officer Commanding Operations Group at Whenuapai. Between 2002 and 2006 he was the Chief of Air Force in the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. In this role he provided the leadership of the RNZAF after the withdrawal of the air combat capability, and promoted developments, which, resulted in enhanced operational capabilities through the introduction of the Boeing 757, upgrades to the Orions and Hercules aircraft and replacement utility helicopters.

In 1981 John was the Equerry to the Queen and was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO). In 1997 he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in recognition of his leadership of the planning for the deployment to East Timor. In 2006 he was promoted to Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in recognition of his leadership during his time as Chief of Air Force.

On retiring from the RNZAF in 2006 John took up his current appointment as the Director of the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

John is married to the former Susan Brown. After many moves they now live in Wellington and their two adult sons live in Auckland. John maintains his keen interest in aviation by exercising the privileges of a private pilot’s licence.

 

Jo Harrison-WardJo Harrison-Ward
Chief Executive Officer, Fire and Emergency Services Authority

Ms Harrison-Ward's appointment as FESA CEO in 2006 followed three senior management positions in FESA - Executive Director Emergency Management; Manager Policy and Strategic Planning; and Manager Media and Public Affairs.

She has also held the positions of Director at the Department of Local Government and Regional Development (with responsibility for Machinery of Government Implementation) and Executive Director at the WA Police.

Before she joined FESA in 1998, she was a senior advisor on emergency services to successive State Government Ministers. Her academic qualifications include a Graduate Certificate in Management and a Master in Leadership and Management.

 

Kevin HennessyKevin Hennessy
Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research

Kevin Hennessy is a Principle Research Scientist at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research. He has been doing climate change research for over 20 years and is currently leading the Adaptation, Risk and Policy team of the Climate Change Research Group.

He has over 170 publications and specialises in regional climate projections. These publications include the 2007 report on “Climate change in Australia” and the “Australia and New Zealand” chapter of the 2007 IPCC assessment of “Climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability”.

 

 

Beryl JanzBeryl Janz
Branch Manager, Disaster Preparedness and Recovery, FaHCSIA

Beryl Janz is Branch Manager, Disaster Preparedness and Recovery in the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).

Beryl’s branch is responsible for building community capacity and resilience related to disasters and critical incidents, including planning for, and managing the social and community impacts, of a potential human influenza pandemic.

Her branch coordinates whole of Australian Government recovery policy and activities through the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Committee, which FaHCSIA chairs.

Prior to joining FaHCSIA she was the General Manager Crisis Management and Response in the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources where she worked extensively on pandemic influenza preparedness for industry.

Beryl has been involved in crisis management and communication for a range of Australian Government agencies for about 15 years. As the National Media Manager for the Australian Federal Police, Beryl was involved in the response to the Bali bombing in 2002.

She has a Bachelor of Business (Communication) and a Master of Business Administration.

 

Dr Gael JenningsDr Gael Jennings
Facilitator

Gael Jennings is a specialist in science and factual television, a strategic science adviser, media trainer, communications consultant, author and speaker, and former research scientist, multi-award-winning TV science broadcaster, and current affairs TV and radio host.

Currently employed by ABC TV Documentary to assess and develop science, natural history, religious and ethical and indigenous films with the independent sector, Gael is also on the Ministerial Advisory Council for Science and Mathematics Education, the Museums Victoria Board, and the Academic Board of the Australian Institute of Management.

Gael holds a First Class Honours degree in Science from the University of Melbourne, a Diploma of Education, and PhD in Immunology from The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.

After 10 years’ medical research (in the areas of reproductive medicine, infectious disease and immunology), Gael moved to television in 1986. Her 20+ years of media experience include as the inaugural national science and medical reporter for ABC TV news, current affairs (7.30 Report) and features (Quantum, Catalyst), as host of the mid-morning and afternoon programs on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne and Victoria, and anchor of SBS TV’s weekly current affairs programme “Insight”. Gael is a regular on ABC TV’s “Einstein Factor” and occasional co-host of 774 ABC Radio’s “Conversation Hour.”

Gael advises NGOs, cultural, academic organisations and the independent sector on science issues. Her communications business includes celebrity speaking, media training, TV and radio appearance in a broad range of issues and topics. She is the author of the award-winning children’s book “Sick As…Bloody Moments in the History of Medicine”.

 

David JohnstonDavid Johnston
Senior Scientist, GNS Science (New Zealand)

David Johnston is a senior scientist at GNS Science, in the Hazards Group and has recently been appointed Director of the Joint Centre for Disaster Research in the School of Psychology at Massey University. This is a joint venture between Massey University and GNS Science.

His research has developed as part of multi-disciplinary theoretical and applied research programme, involving the collaboration of physical and social scientists from several organisations and countries. David has been involved in developing integrated risk management strategies for different hazard events, using techniques such as scenario development, mitigation planning and community education programmes.

Recent research on warning systems has focused on flood alert systems in New Zealand and Australia, tsunami warnings in New Zealand, Hawaii and Washington State and extensive work on volcanic warnings worldwide. He has had long term relationship with a wide number of end-users through his research, consulting and outreach activities. Currently he is outreach co-ordinator for the EQC-funded GeoNet project, a member of the steering group of the Auckland Engineering Lifelines Group, advisor to EQC on their education strategy and a member of the National Resilience Working Group for the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

 

 

Commissioner Mick Keelty, APMCommissioner Mick Keelty, APM
Australian Federal Police

Appointed Commissioner in March 2001, Mick Keelty is a career police officer with more than 30 years experience at local, national and international levels. Since his appointment, Commissioner Keelty has led the expansion and transformation of the AFP to take on major new responsibilities in the areas of counter terrorism, protective security, airport security and peacekeeping and capacity building in the region.

Commissioner Keelty is the Chair of the Board of the Australian Crime Commission, he Co-chairs with Indonesia the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering, and he is a member of the Business Government Advisory Group on National Security. He is also Patron of the Australian Section of the International Police Association.

As AFP Commissioner, he assumes the role of representative of Interpol in Australia, and as a result of the collaborative relationships formed between the AFP and the Asian region, he represents Australia at ASEANPOL which includes the heads of 10 Asian police forces.

Commissioner Keelty has been recognised by the Australian Financial Review (AFR) ‘Boss’ magazine as one of Australia's 25 True Leaders. The Commissioner was also named by The Bulletin as the fifth most powerful person in the Government category for the magazine's first Power 100 edition in 2007.

 

Her Excellency The Right Honourable Helen LiddellHer Excellency The Right Honourable Helen Liddell
British High Commissioner to Australia

Helen Liddell arrived in Australia to take up her position as British High Commissioner, on July 8 2005 to news of the London bombings. A former Cabinet Minister, she replaced Sir Alastair Goodlad.

Elected to the House of Commons in 1994 for the Scottish constituency previously held by the late Labour Leader John Smith, she began her ministerial career with Labour’s election to Government in 1997.

She served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 1997 to 1998, Deputy Secretary of State for Scotland and Minister for Education from 1998-1999 and was briefly a Transport Minister and Minister of State to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in 1999, before becoming Minister of State for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe, a post she held until joining the Cabinet in 2001 when she became the first woman Secretary of State for Scotland. She left the Cabinet in 2003 and it was announced shortly afterwards that she would become British High Commissioner to Australia. She left Parliament in May 2005.

An economist by profession, on leaving Strathclyde University in 1971, she began work as Head of the Economic Department of the Scottish Trades Union Congress where she remained until 1976, leaving as Assistant Secretary to become the Economic Correspondent of BBC Scotland.

In 1977 she became General Secretary of the Labour Party in Scotland, a post she held until she left to complete her first novel in 1988, however shortly afterwards she accepted the post of Director, Personnel and Public Affairs of the Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd.

In 1993 she became Chief Executive of Business Ventures, a post she retained until her unexpected election to Parliament in 1994.

Her novel “Elite” was published in 1990.

Appointed Privy Councillor in 1998, she is also an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Strathclyde.

She is joined in Australia by her husband Dr Alistair Liddell, her son and daughter remain in the UK.

 

Professor Tony McMichaelProfessor Tony McMichael
Director, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health - ANU

Tony McMichael, medical graduate and epidemiologist, is an NHMRC Australia Fellow at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, ANU. He was previously Professor of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 1994-2001.

His research focuses on environmental influences on health and disease, both infectious and non-infectious. He has pioneered international research into the health risks of climate change. During 1993-2007 he coordinated the scientific assessment of health impacts by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – and shared with many IPCC colleagues the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007.

His books include Human Frontiers, Environments and Disease: Past Patterns, Uncertain Futures (Cambridge University Press 2001) and Climate Change and Human Health: Risks and Responses (WHO, 2003).

 

Commissioner Greg Mullins, AFSMCommissioner Greg Mullins, AFSM
NSW Fire Brigades

Greg Mullins was appointed as Commissioner of the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) in July 2003, and is the first fire officer in the 124 year history of the NSWFB to be appointed as both Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive Officer. He joined the NSWFB in 1978 after serving as a bushfire brigade volunteer from 1972.

Since 2000 when he was appointed Director State Operations, he has been intimately involved in the development of the NSWFB’s capabilities and role in managing the consequences of terrorist attack, including Urban Search and Rescue, and Chemical, Biological, and Radiological attack.

Commissioner Mullins sits on the NSW CEO’s Counter Terrorism Coordinating Group, is a Ministerial adviser on the NSW Cabinet Standing Committee on Counter Terrorism, represents all Australian Fire Services on the National USAR Capability Development Board, has represented Australia at the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (UN), and is a member of the State Rescue Board and Deputy Chair of the State Emergency Management Committee.

During his career he has received awards for courageous action and meritorious service, and holds tertiary qualifications including a Masters Degree in Management. In 2002, he completed the Executive Fire Officer Program at the United States Fire Academy and in 1995 completed a Churchill Fellowship that involved researching fire services in Europe, the UK, USA and Canada.

 

 

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Dr Conall O'ConnellDr Conall O'Connell
Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Dr O’Connell was appointed Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on 7 May 2007.

Prior to his appointment, Conall was Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEWR). His responsibilities in that Department included overseeing policies and programmes relating to natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, the marine environment and protected areas.

From 1991 until he joined DEWR in 1997, he held various positions in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where he handled Australian Federal-State relations, primary industries and environment policy.

He has a PhD and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons 1) from the Queen’s University of Belfast.

 

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Ross PagramRoss Pagram
National Consultant for Disaster Recovery, Community and Disability Services Minister's Advisory Council

Ross first became involved in disasters through his work with rural fire management, volunteer training and community disaster planning, which he concentrated on after studying as a forester at the University of Melbourne. 

He has worked in Victoria, New Zealand, Tasmania and South Australia where his roles have included operations, client management, regional management, project management and strategic planning with various state government agencies including Justice, Families/Communities, Industry/Trade and Premier’s. 

Prior to being appointed as the National Consultant Disaster Recovery for the Disaster Recovery Sub Committee (DRSC) of the Community and Disability Services Ministers Advisory Council, Ross was a member of the South Australian Security and Emergency Management Office, contributing to the work of the Australian Emergency Management Committee (AEMC), and its working groups for risk assessment, community awareness, information management, Disaster Relief, catastrophic disasters and national planning. 

Ross has been operationally involved in disaster recovery following events such as the 2005 Eyre Peninsula bushfire and Virginia floods as well as national exercise programs for animal disease and counter terrorism.

As National Recovery Consultant, Ross is employed by the State and Territory recovery coordinators to facilitate collective development in recovery policy and practice and represent them in national forums e.g. Australian government disaster recovery committee, etc.  His role is hosted by the South Australian Government within the Department for Families and Communities, State Recovery Office.

 

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Tony PearceTony Pearce
Director General, Emergency Management Australia

Tony Pearce commenced his appointment as Director General - Emergency Management Australia in August 2006 after having spent 27 years in the intelligence and emergency management sectors. He spent 9 years in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as an Intelligence Analyst (imagery) before commencing with the emergency services. After leaving the RAAF he spent twelve years with Ambulance Service Victoria in senior operations management positions responsible for emergency management and major incident response planning functions and is a qualified Paramedic. Two and a half years in the position of Deputy Chief Officer of the Victoria State Emergency Service preceded a move to the role of Director Emergency Management and Security in the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner in Victoria in July 2003. This extensive period of involvement has seen Tony work across the emergency management continuum, commencing as a ‘hands on’ emergency responder and progressing to senior operations management positions before moving into senior government policy development roles.

Tony holds an Associate Diploma of Health Science, a Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Emergency Management, a Graduate Diploma in Management and an Executive Master of Public Administration from Melbourne University and the Australian and New Zealand School of Government.

Tony’s emergency management background is extensive and he has for many years been a regular participant in forums dealing with national issues. Between 2004 and 2006 he Chaired the National Catastrophic Disasters Emergency Management Capability Review and in 2005 was also a member of the Prime Ministers Science, Engineering and Innovation Council Tsunami Working Group following the Indian Ocean Tsunami.

He is the President of the Oceania Region of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), a member of the US Board of the IAEM, Editor in Chief of the Australian Journal of Emergency Management and an Advisory Board Member to the Research Network for a Secure Australia.

 

David PlaceDavid Place
Commissioner of Fire and Emergencies, SA Fire and Emergencies Services Commission (SAFECOM)

David is the current Commissioner of Fire and Emergencies of the SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM). His role is Chair of the SAFECOM Board as well as Chief Executive of SAFECOM, to which the State Emergency Service (SES), Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) and Country Fire Service (CFS) report.

The sector has 1,200 employees and has responsibility for around 20,000 volunteers. The Commissioner is Chairperson of the Emergency Services Leadership Council (ESLC), National Chair of the Remote Indigenous Communities Advisory Committee (RICAC – a committee that is leading policy for remote Indigenous communities in terms of emergency management). David is one of two Australian Emergency Management Committee (AEMC) members representing South Australia on the national Emergency Management Committee (EMC).

David previously held the dual positions of Chief Executive of SAFECOM and Chief Office of the SES, following his appointment as Chief Officer of the SES in 2004.

Prior to these roles, David was a senior executive for the SA Ambulance Service (SAAS), involved in Regional Operations, Communications and other Corporate Services. David commenced with SAAS in 1984 and spent 10 years as a frontline Ambulance Officer prior to being promoted through the operational ranks. David’s career with SAAS spanned 20 years.

A keen four wheel drive enthusiast and scuba diver, David loves exploring remote Australia with his family and capturing those memories through photography, both above and below the water.

 

Martin Studdert, AMMartin Studdert, AM
Executive Director, Australian Government Protective Security Coordination Centre

Before being appointed as the Executive Director of the Australian Government Protective Security Coordination Centre in April 2006, Martin was the Deputy Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia.

Martin was previously the Head of the Australian Protective Service – the Australian Government’s provider of security to its sensitive facilities, aviation industry and diplomatic corps.  In 1998 Martin retired from the Australian Army as a Colonel. His career included service with the Australian Signals Corps, Special Air Service Regiment and command of the Australian contingent to the United Nations Mission to Cambodia in 1992/3.

He has a Master of International Relations, a Bachelor of Arts and post graduate qualifications in management, communications and IT. He enjoys rugby, cricket, running, swimming, reading and music.

He is married to a career diplomat and has two children.


 

Robert TicknerRobert Tickner
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Red Cross

Mr Tickner has been the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since February 2005.Mr Tickner brings a wealth of knowledge of international issues and policy development, marketing and communications to Australian Red Cross.

Prior to taking up this appointment he was the CEO of Job Futures Ltd (2000-2005). Mr Tickner served as Federal Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs from 1990-1996, was Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of Amnesty International for 10 years, served on many parliamentary delegations and has represented Australia before the United Nations.

Prior to being elected to Parliament in 1984, Mr Tickner was a Lecturer in Law at the New South Wales Institute of Technology and then Principal Solicitor to the New South Wales Aboriginal Legal Service.

 

Dr Neil WilliamsDr Neil Williams
CEO, Geoscience Australia

Dr Neil Williams is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Government's national geoscientific research and spatial information agency, Geoscience Australia (GA).

Neil trained as an economic geologist. He received his BSc (Hons) degree from the Australian National University and his PhD from Yale University. Upon completion of his PhD he returned to the Australian National University and worked there for 5 years as an academic specialising in the genesis of sediment-hosted base-metal deposits. In 1981 he joined the then Mt Isa Mines group of companies as a mineral explorer and remained with them for 10 years before joining one of Geoscience Australia’s predecessors, the Bureau of Mineral Resources in 1991. He was appointed CEO of the Australian Geological Survey Organisation in 1995. Since then he has overseen the transformation of the agency into the present day Geoscience Australia.

Neil is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and received the Public Service Medal in the 2006 Australia Day National Honours List for outstanding public service in the provision of geoscientific advice to government, geoscience services, industry and the public. He was awarded the Society of Economic Geologists Lindgren Award in 1981 for his research on the McArthur River lead-zinc deposit, and is the 2008 President the Society.

 

Brett Williamson OAMBrett Williamson, OAM
CEO, Surf Life Saving Australia

Brett Williamson OAM, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) in October 2006. Prior to that, he was CEO of Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) for 15 years.

Brett holds tertiary qualification in the areas of human movement studies (BHMS Ed) from the University of Queensland, in education (B Ed) from the Brisbane College of Advanced Education and Queensland University of Technology and a Corporate Directors Diploma from the University of New England.

Brett was a sport and physical education teacher for several years prior to beginning his professional involvement with SLSQ in 1984, when he started in the dual role of State Development Officer and State Director of Coaching. He moved on to the roles of Deputy Administrator, State Manager and General Manager before being appointed as CEO of SLSQ in 1991.

As SLSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Brett is primarily responsible for ensuring the effective development, management and sustainability of the organisation and its vital services and outputs. These are outlined in SLSA’s strategic plan ‘Saving Lives In The Water’ which sets out the priorities for the organisation for the 2007-08 to 2009-10 period.

Brett is a former President of the Australian Society of Sports Administrators (Qld Chapter) and has sat on a wide range of government and non-government advisory and consultative groups. He is a Fellow member of the Corporate Directors’ Association of Australia, the Australian Institute of Management and the Australian Society of Sports Administrators. He also holds membership of several professional associations, including the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI), Australian & New Zealand Sports Law Association (ANZSLA), Corporate Directors Association and the Australian Institute of Emergency Services.

A former active surf lifesaver and surf boat rower, Brett is married with three daughters.

 

Jerry VelasquezJerry Velasquez
Senior Regional Coordinator for Asia-Pacific, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

Jerry Velasquez received his PhD from Nagoya University in Japan where he majored on environmental studies and water resources. His PhD dissertation received the "outstanding thesis award" in 1994 from the Japanese Association of Water Resources. He has previously worked for the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), the United Nations University (UNU), the Global Environment Information Centre (GEIC), the UNEP Division of Global Environment Facility Coordination (UNEP/DGEF), and the UNEP Division of Environmental Law and Conventions (UNEP/DELC).

His two main areas of specialization are: a) Environmental governance, in particular inter-linkages and synergies among Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs; and b) Social aspects of disaster vulnerability.

On environmental governance issues, he has worked in 17 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including the 10 ASEAN countries, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Palau and Cook Islands, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. On social vulnerability, he has worked in the Philippines, Japan, the US, India, South Africa, Mexico and Colombia.

His published work includes edited books, journal articles, interactive software, and policy briefs on MEA synergies, environmental governance and social vulnerability. Two of the more interesting products that he co-developed over the years are the Internet-based sustainable development gaming simulation "Pangaea", and the interactive disaster awareness education software for children "Quake Busters". His latest book is titled "Innovative Communities: People Centered Approaches for Environmental Management in Asia and the Pacific" published by the UNU Press in December 2005.

He is currently Senior Regional Coordinator for UN/ISDR Asia & Pacific, based in Bangkok.