Australian Local Government Association - 2003 National Local Roads Congress

2003 National Local Roads Congress - Speaker's Biographies

30 June - 1 July 2003

Dr Fred Affleck
Director, Western Australian Planning and Transport Research Centre

Dr Fred Affleck is Director of Western Australia's recently formed Planning and Transport Research Centre and Professor of Transport Studies at Murdoch University. He was formerly a consultant specialising in policy and related operational issues in the transport industry, and during 2002 he conducted the review of the National Road Transport Commission Act.

From 1992 to 2000, Dr Affleck was General Manager, Corporate Affairs for the National Rail Corporation, now part of Pacific National.

The Hon John Anderson MP
Deputy Prime Minister

The Hon John Anderson MP is the Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the National Party and Minister for Transport and Regional Services.

Lynelle Briggs
Deputy Secretary, Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services

Lynelle Briggs has been a Commonwealth Public Servant for 22 years. Her career has involved time in the former Department of Social Security, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Treasury and the Department of Health and Aged Care. Lynelle also lived in Wellington for two years while employed with the New Zealand Treasury. Lynelle joined the Department of Transport and Regional Services in June 2001.

As Deputy Secretary, Lynelle works in support of the Secretary of the Department in his leadership and management of the Department across all areas. In her initial period with the Department, she is taking particular responsibility for overseeing rail, road transport, territories, marine safety, wider infrastructure policy, and departmental finances.

Chris Champion
National Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia

Chris Champion has over 30 years experience in Local Government. In 2000, he took up the position of National Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia. He is also a Consultant to Local Government and the Public Works Industry.

For the 12 years prior to this, he was Director of Engineering services at Holroyd City Council in Sydney's West. He holds formal qualifications in engineering, and also local government management.

Chris sees 'infrastructure asset management' as the core issue for his industry association, his profession and local government generally.

Michael Deegan
Former Director General, NSW Department of Transport

Michael Deegan is the former Director General of the NSW Department of Transport and NSW Coordinator General of Rail.

Dr Robin Dunlop
Chief Executive, Transit New Zealand

Dr Robin Dunlop is Chief Executive of Transit New Zealand. He has published many technical and management papers, and has been a consultant to the World Bank and International Road Federation Washington Program Centre on roading agency structures and management. He is currently a director of the Washington Program Centre International Road Federation, a Member of the Council and Chairman of Austroads, Past President of the Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia, a Fellow and Co-Chairman of the Logistics and Transport NZ and also a Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers NZ and a director of the National Board of the NZ Institute of Management. He is also first delegate for NZ for the World Road Association (PIARC) and has been awarded the 2003 International Road Federation Man of the Year Award. Robin has a particular interest in the governance and structural reform of businesses.

Martin Ferguson MP
Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Transport, Infrastructure and Tourism

Martin Ferguson was elected to the House of Representatives for Batman, Victoria, on 2 March 1996.

Prior to entering Federal Parliament, Martin was elected unopposed as President of the ACTU on 18 April 1990, following the election of Simon Crean to Federal Parliament.

As President of the ACTU Martin served on various advisory councils, boards and committees including the Social Security Review, Economic Planning Advisory Council, the National Labor Consultative Council, the Advance Australia Foundation, Australian Government's Agri Food Council and the Trade Development Council.

Martin went to the ACTU after 15 years service with the Miscellaneous Workers Union.

Barry Haase MP
Federal Member for Kalgoorlie, WA

Barry Haase MHR was elected in 1998 and again in 2001 to represent Australia's largest and most diverse electorate. The Federal electorate of Kalgoorlie stretches across 2.3 million square kilometres of regional and remote Western Australia. Barry Haase has a working background in catering and airconditioning.

Mr Haase is chair of the House of Representatives Members' Interests standing committee and is a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, House, Industry and Resources, Procedure and Transport and Regional Services standing committees.

He acknowledges roads and transport as vital issues for both residents and people doing business in the Kalgoorlie electorate. Mr Haase is chair of the Outback Highway Committee which is promoting the upgrade of the Western Australia- Queensland link to an all weather surface.

Murray Kidnie
Executive Director, Austroads

Murray Kidnie is the Executive Director of Austroads, which is the association of Australian and New Zealand road transport and traffic authorities. Austroads aims to provide research and advice for the integrated development, management and operation of the Australasian road system through the promotion of national uniformity, eliminating unnecessary duplication and promoting improved practice.

Prior to taking up his position with Austroads, Murray was, for ten years, the Secretary of the Local Government and Shires Associations of New South Wales. Murray had previously been the Director and Deputy Chair of the NSW Local Government Grants Commission.

Chris Koniditsiotis
National Manager, Austroads Intelligent Access Project

Chris Koniditsiotis is the National Manager of the Austroads Intelligent Access Program (IAP) Feasibility Project. He was formally General Manager, Road Management Services at ARRB Transport Research and previous to this, Director of the World Bank funded Automated Road Monitoring Services in Indonesia.

Chris has over 18 years experience in both road infrastructure and operations. Chris has based his senior management expertise on a solid technical and policy background, working in both the road management and maintenance and road use management areas, and more recently the adaptation of intelligent transport systems (ITS) to the road transport task.

Chris has Bachelor and Master degrees in Engineering.

Greg Martin
Director General, Western Australian Department of Planning and Infrastructure

Greg Martin has been the Director General of the Western Australian Department for Planning and Infrastructure since 29 July 2002. Prior to that he was Commissioner of Main Roads Western Australia, where he was responsible for transforming it from a road-building organisation into a road asset and network manager. He placed particular importance on the relationship between Main Roads and local government with respect to technical assistance and local government funding arrangements.

Greg's previous position was Executive Director Metropolitan Transport in the Department of Transport in Western Australia.

Prior to joining Transport, Greg was seconded from the Commonwealth Government to assist Main Roads as Program Director and earlier, as Principal Consultant Corporate Projects.

He holds engineering and commerce degrees from the University of Western Australia and a Masters degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Cr Phyllis Miller
President, Shires Association NSW

Cr Phyllis Miller was elected to Shires Association in 1998 and is now President. She represents the Shires Association on NUAC, SCMCC, WAC and is a Board Member of State Cover. Phyllis was elected to Forbes Council in 1995 and has been Deputy Mayor since 1999. Phyllis owns and operates a highly successful stock and station real estate agency in Forbes. She is a wife and mother of five children.

Jeff Roorda
Civil Engineer, University Lecturer

Jeff has a professional background in Civil Engineering and lectures at post graduate level in asset and maintenance management at a number of Australian Universities and is one of the contributing authors of the International Infrastructure Management Manual, published and distributed in Australia, New Zealand, UK and USA.

Recent work includes working with Public and Private Sector organisations throughout Australia on asset management and technology implementation projects including the Victorian Infrastructure Study, South Australian Infrastructure Study and the recent report to the commonwealth on the effectiveness of the Roads to Recovery Program.

Peter Rufford
Roads Consultant

Peter Rufford has 30 years experience in highway, transport and infrastructure planning in both the public and private sectors. His early career with the NSW Department of Main Roads was followed by a five year spell with the NT Department of Transport and Works.

Peter has worked as a transport planner, project manager and policy analyst for the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority, the transport planning consultancy Travers Morgan Australia and the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).

He works with a number of other sole traders under the LGinfo Group banner who undertook the review of the Roads to Recovery Program with the Commonwealth. This Group has now undertaken a number of planning studies for regional groups of Councils.

Brent Stafford
Executive Director, Intelligent Transport Systems Australia

Brent Stafford, as the Executive Director of Intelligent Transport Systems Australia, is responsible for the implementation of the National strategy for ITS in Australia - e-transport in addition to managing the ITS Australia organisation and facilitating the growth of the sector. Brent assists in ITS policy development for State and Federal Governments, and growing awareness of ITS in industry and the community.

Brent presents at many international conferences on ITS and he is on many national transport committees.

The Hon Wilson Tuckey MP
Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government

Mr Tuckey was first elected to Federal Parliament in 1980. He joined the Federal Ministery in 1998 and since January 2002 has served as the Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government. Mr Tuckey served on Carnarvon Shire Council for over 16 years and served as President of the Country Shire Councils Association of Western Australia for two years. He was also appointed a State Grants Commissioner (1976-80).

Tony Wilson
Chief Executive and Commissioner, National Road Transport Commission

Tony Wilson has held the position of Chief Executive and Commissioner of the National Road Transport Commission for the past two years.

Prior to this he spent 23 years working in various engineering and management roles in Tasmanian road and transport agencies. He was Tasmanian Transport Commissioner from 1998 to 2001.

Tony also worked as a consultant specialising in transport planning and operations research both in Australia and overseas.

An immediate past Chairman of Austroads, Tony is also a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers (Australia) and the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics.

Greg Hunting
Director General, Relations and Communications, Australian Automobile Association

Greg Hunting has a background in Media and Government. He is currently Director General, Relations and Communications, Australian Automobile Association. From 1996-2000 he was Chief of Staff to Commonwealth Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. Previously, Greg was a consultant in Corporate Affairs, Director of a North Coast Ad Agency and a News Director with various media outlets.

Trudi Meakins
Assistant Secretary, Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services

Trudi Meakins has responsibility for all the Commonwealth's transport programs in New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania and the National Black Spot Road Safety Program. Trudi chaired the AusLink Asset Management working party which considered how road and rail maintenance should be treated under AusLink.

For more information contact Robin Anderson, ALGA Director, Transport Policy