Program
Speakers
Dr Dave Baigent
Following a very successful career as an operational officer in the London Fire Brigade (spanning over 30 years), Dr Dave Baigent joined Anglia Ruskin University to gain a BA (Hons) and a PhD.
Dr Dave Baigent 's academic portfolio concentrates on the areas of social construction of masculinity and gender, workplace formal and informal cultures, cultural auditing, women's experience in the fire and rescue service, change management and leadership.
Alongside his academic career, Dr Baigent is director of fitting-in, a company that carries out research and consultancy with the fire and rescue service, and hosts the very successful http://www.fitting-in.com website.
Dr Baigent worked for over six weeks in Australia as a researcher/guest of the University of Western Australia and New South Wales (Sydney) Fire Brigades; during this visit he presented a paper at the AFAC annual conference on women and firefighting.
Mary Barry
Chief Executive Officer, Victoria State Emergency Service, Australia
Ms Mary Barry joined Arthur Anderson's Melbourne office, her first job in Australia after arriving in 1986 from the UK. She then joined a new venture as Operations Manager at Aged Care Management Victoria. In 1992 Mary moved to MECWA Community care, a not-for-profit community run organisation taking up the role of CEO. Seeking a change, in 1995 Mary took up the role of General Manager at the Shire of Melton.
In January 2006 seeking a new challenge, Mary took on the role of CEO of the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) which was re-established as a Statutory Authority in November 2005. As the inaugural CEO Mary's role involves setting up the Authority (which is governed by a Board of seven directors), providing strategic advice to the Board and implementing a more robust and transparent management structure.
Captain Brenda Berkman
Brenda Berkman retired on September 14, 2006 as a Captain in the New York City Fire Department and commander of Engine 239 in Brooklyn, where she fought fires and responded to other emergencies. She also served as a firefighter in Engine 47 in Manhattan, Engine 219 and Ladder 105 in Brooklyn, and as a Lieutenant in Ladder 12 in Manhattan. Special assignments have included assistant to the Chief of Safety, the FDNY Recruitment Unit and as an equal employment opportunity counselor and instructor. Other projects have included: proposals for new FDNY pre-incident planning and high-rise multiple dwelling fire safety programs; the funding proposal for the 1999 training program for women firefighter candidates; and a model training program for senior citizen/home-care attendant fire safety training.
Capt. Berkman began her career in the fire service in 1982, after winning the federal sex discrimination lawsuit she initiated that resulted in the hiring of New York City's first women firefighters. She founded and led the United Women Firefighters organization in New York City and has also led the national organization of women firefighters, Women in the Fire Service, as a trustee and President of the Board.
A noted writer and speaker on issues relating to the fire service and women in nontraditional employment, Berkman has been the subject of numerous radio and television programs and print media here and abroad. In October 2000, a play about Berkman entitled "Firework" opened off-Broadway. She was also profiled in Legal Momentum's 2001 film "The Women of Ground Zero," and the book The Women at Ground Zero. The documentary Taking the Heat, which chronicles Berkman's struggle to integrate women into the FDNY, aired on PBS in 2006.
In 1996-97, Capt. Berkman served as a White House Fellow, the first professional firefighter to be awarded this prestigious leadership development fellowship in the 40-year history of the program.
Berkman has a BA summa cum laude from St. Olaf College, an MA in American History from Indiana University, a JD from New York University and a MS in Fire Protection Management from the City University of New York. She is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer program.
The Honourable Bob Cameron
Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Corrections.
Bob Cameron was first elected to the seat of Bendigo West in the 1996 State election and held the seat ever since. He is married with one daughter and two sons. Born in Robinvale, he completed his secondary education at Bendigo Senior High School before gaining a law degree at the University of Melbourne in 1984. Bob was a local Bendigo lawyer before entering Parliament. In 1999 he became Minister for Local Government and Minister for WorkCover and the TAC. In 2002 he became the Minister for Agriculture and after the 2006 election became the Minister for Police and emergency Services and the Minister for Corrections.
Mr Marcus Clayton
Mr Marcus Clayton is the National Practice Group Leader for Industrial and Employment Law at Slater & Gordon Ltd.
Marcus began his legal career at Slater & Gordon in the 1980s. He returned to the firm in 1998 and was appointed a partner in the industrial and employment practice in 1999. Based in Melbourne, he has overall responsibility for dealings with the more than 50 union branches and offices for which Slater & Gordon acts around Australia. Slater & Gordon has considerable experience with emergency services, providing legal services to the United Firefighters Union of Australia (Victorian and Western Australian branches and national office), The Police Association (Victoria) and the Ambulance Employees Association – Victoria.
Ms Anne Duggan
Ms Anne Duggan is currently employed as the Coordinator of the CFMEU Education and Training Unit in Victoria. The Unit employs more than 20 staff and trains almost 15,000 construction workers each year. Anne has worked in educational settings in Australia and overseas since 1979. This work has involved teaching and coordination of programs in technical, vocational and migrant education. Anne has a range of academic qualifications which include a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma of Education, a Post Graduate Diploma in Inter Ethnic Studies and Education and a Master of Arts (Public Policy).
Zoe Dunbar
ALSO Foundation, Australia
Ms Zoe Dunbar is currently working with the ALSO Foundation as Office manager/volunteer coordinator after a brief stint as an ALSO board member. ALSO is the largest broadly focused Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender philanthropic organization in Australia based in Victoria. Zoe is involved as the General Manager of Operations and Logistics for the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames to be held in Melbourne Jan 30- Feb 3rd 2008 which is a celebration of sport, culture and human rights in the GLBTIQ community. Primarily Zoe's work history has been in various logistics planning roles at the Metropolitan Ambulance Service and the Commonwealth Games Village in Melbourne 2006.
Ms Catherine Dunlop
Maddocks Lawyers, Australia
Ms Catherine Dunlop is a Partner at Maddocks Lawyers who practices in OH&S and public law. She has a particular expertise in emergency management law and has a unique understanding of this sector, having acted in the area for over a decade. She regularly advises ESOs on operational issues and has represented them at a number of significant inquiries and inquests.
She advises on workplace accidents and on legal crisis management. Catherine also drafts legislation and regulations for ESOs, and prepares submissions on law reform issues and fire service industry best practice. She provides training ESOs on their legislation and on current issues in the sector.
Catherine has a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Economics and a Masters of Public and International Law. She has presented numerous papers on emergency service issues to the Safety Institute of Australia, the Australasian Fire Authorities Council, Emergency Management Australia and the Commonwealth Attorney General's Trusted Information Sharing Network for Critical Incident Management.
Ms Julie Elliott
Julie Elliott is the immediate Past President of the Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Services Board. She served as President from 1 July 2005 and till 30 September 2007. She initially joined the Board in December 2000 and, prior to becoming President, held the positions of Chair of the Governance Committee and Deputy President.
Julie is a Chartered Accountant with a Bachelor of Economics, recently completing her MBA with the Australian Graduate School of Management.
As National Manager, Business Advice of a major Australian financial service organisation, Julie brings to the MFB a wealth of experience in finance, governance, drivers of business, service culture and marketing.
Peter George, AM
Peter George is a volunteer. He is the current Chairman of the International Lifesaving Federation Rescue Committee and the National Director of Lifesaving for Surf Life Saving Australia, a position he has held for 7 years. Peter has been an assessor for 30 years, a training officer for 33 years and a patrol member for 41 years. He continues to patrol at North Cronulla in New South Wales where he is a patrol captain.
Peter has been involved with writing and producing lifeguard training manuals for 12 years and was named the South Australian Surf Life Saver of the Year on 2 occasions.
For service to surf lifesaving, the Australian Government has awarded him the Australian Sports Medal, the Australian National Medal for patrol duty, and is a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
Peter works for Westpac Banking Corporation where he is Head of Finance and Governance for Group Property and Risk.
Mr Graeme Innes AM
Human Rights Commissioner, Commissioner Responsible for Disability Discrimination, Commonwealth Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Lawyer, Mediator and Company Director Graeme Innes has been a Human Rights Practitioner in NSW, WA and nationally for 25 years.
Graeme was a member of the Australian delegation to the United Nations developing a Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.
Graeme has been active in the disability field for thirty years. He was Chair of the Disability Advisory Council of Australia for four and a half years.
He was the first blind President of Royal Blind Society of NSW, and the first Chair of Vision Australia, Australia's largest national blindness agency. Graeme has been one of Australia's delegates to the World Blind Union, and the President of that Union's Asia-Pacific region.
Graeme has been a consultant to organisations such as Westpac, Qantas, and Sydney Water, on disability issues.
Graeme has been a Member of -
- the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal;
- the NSW Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal; and
- The Social Security Appeals Tribunal;
- As well as a Hearing Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
He has also been a Councilor on Ku-ring-gai local Council.
In 1995 Graeme was admitted as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his contribution to the development of Commonwealth disability discrimination legislation. He was a finalist for Australian of the year in 2003.
Graeme is married with an adult son and a daughter in primary school. He enjoys cricket (as a spectator) and sailing (as a participant) and relaxes by drinking fine Australian white wine.
Mr Mohamed Jogi
Mohamed Jogi is the National Programme Manager for the Ambulance Service Association (ASA).
The Ambulance Service Association was set up in 1994 to represent NHS Ambulance Trusts and to aid them in providing the highest standards of clinical care. Today the ASA represents the NHS ambulance services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Mohamed is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and he has recently completed research around the “Lessons of Ambulance Mergers” as part of his Masters in leadership and People management from the Univeristy of Manchester. He has just commenced a doctoral research looking at “The Impact of a National Benefits Realisation Plan following reconfiguration – An Investigation into the Ambulance Service”
A highly experienced senior HR management professional with an extensive record of accomplishment of delivering change programmes within HR and in partnership with internal managers. He started work in retail banking and then in Local government. Over the last 5 years, he has played a pivotal role in delivering national initiatives to embed diversity within Ambulance Services across the UK.
In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, travelling, keeping fit, and supporting the Liverpool Football Club.
Mr Ken Latta
Ken Latta was appointed Chief Executive & Chief Officer of the Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Services Board (MFB) in April 2007.
He joined Victoria Police as Executive Director in May 1997 and was the first non-police person appointed to the Executive Management Group. Ken had responsibility for the management of the non-policing functions of Victoria Police, an organisation consisting of approximately 14,000 people and a $1.2 billion budget. Ken's principle focus was on organisational change and the approach to the way Victoria Police serviced the community of Victoria.
Prior to this Ken's career has been within the Victorian TAFE system. Commencing as a teacher, he graduated 'through the ranks' to Director of a TAFE Institute and a Regional Manager, when TAFE Colleges and other community-based providers were part of a regional arrangement.
Ken has maintained a continuous involvement in adult education in the West of Melbourne for thirty years. He is currently a member of the Council of Victoria University, the Chancellor's Committee and he chairs the University Audit & Risk Committee.
Ken was awarded the Public Service Medal in last year's Queen's Birthday Honours list for his services to the community in the fields of policing and education.
Mr Peter Marshall
Following a short period as a Firefighter in 1983, Mr Peter Marshall commenced employment with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in 1984 and was first stationed at Richmond. Later he was stationed at Windsor for two years, before being appointed to Research & Development in 1991. In 1994 Peter was promoted to the rank of Leading Firefighter. The following year he was elected full time Secretary of the United Firefighters Union Victorian Branch, a position that he has held continuously for 12 years.
Peter Marshall was elected by other UFU State Branch Secretaries to become National Secretary of the UFU of Australia in 2002. Peter has been instrumental in drawing together the various state union branches and creating a cohesive national approach to issues faced by the industry.
In 2005, Peter was elected by Union Secretaries across the State to become Victorian Trades Hall Council President. This was the first time that a UFU official has held such a role in the Union's almost 100 year history. The VTHC is the peak representative body for unions in Victoria.
Recently Peter has been a driving force behind the International Fire Fighters Union Alliance. The IFFUA comprises firefighting unions from several continents and is the peak international representative body of firefighter unions. Last year Peter was a key note speaker at the International Association of Fire Fighters conference in the United States, where the IFFUA was launched. Peter Marshall shared the key note speaker role at the conference with US presidential candidate Hilary Clinton.
Ms Voula Messimeri-Kianidis
Ms Voula Messimeri-Kianidis has been involved in the community services field for 25 years, with a particular focus on multicultural affairs, women's issues and has a strong commitment to social justice and community building.
As Executive Director of the Australian Greek Welfare Society (AGWS), she manages an agency with a diverse range of programs including aged and disabilities, childcare, training, family support and community education.
Voula serves on a number of Boards including as:
- Chair, Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA)
- Deputy Chair of VITS Language Link,
- Deputy Chair of Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria ,
- Council member RMIT University and member on the RMIT Training Pty Ltd Board,
- Trustee Radio-marathon Trust (for children with disabilities).
- Voula was inducted on the Victorian Honour Roll of Women, in March 2007.
Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon, APM
Ms Nixon is the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, an organisation of 14,000 staff and an annual budget of $1.3 billion operating out of 550 work locations, including 330 police stations, throughout the state.
Ms Nixon commenced working with Victoria Police on 23 April 2001, after serving with the New South Wales Police Force from 1972.
Ms Nixon is the Chair of the Australian Police Professional Standards Council, Co-Chair of the Australian Institute of Police Management and Sponsor of the Australasian Police Multicultural Advisory Bureau.
Deputy Commissioner Simon Overland
Mr Simon Overland was promoted to Deputy Commissioner, Victoria Police on the 3 July 2006. He had been the Assistant Commissioner Crime from February 2003 to July 2006. In this role he became widely known for his leadership of the Purana Task Force; investigating a series of violent murders and associated offences within entrenched organised crime networks. He continues to have overall responsibility for this task force in his current role.
Prior to joining Victoria Police in February 2003, Simon served 19 years with the Australian Federal Police. He rose through the ranks to become the AFP's Chief Operating Officer and prior to leaving the AFP, Simon was selected by Australia's Police Commissioners to lead the Implementation Team that formed the Australian Crime Commission in January 2003.
Simon has a Bachelor of Arts in Administration, a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours, and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration of Australia, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and was awarded the Australian Police Medal in the Australia Day honours this year.
Moira Rayner
Moira Rayner is a senior and experienced lawyer, particularly in the high-risk area of managing workplace behaviours. Until June 2005 she was Deputy Managing Director of a national employer organisation and managed its Melbourne office. She teaches in the postgraduate discrimination law course as a Senior Fellow at Melbourne University's Law School. Her postgraduate qualifications in public policy have been put to good use in several statutory offices.
Moira Rayner is best known in Victoria as its last Commissioner for Equal Opportunity. She has also been the Acting Deputy Director (Research) of the Australian Institute of Family Studies; a Hearings Commissioner of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, and a full-time consultant in the national law firm Dunhill Madden Butler (now Deacons) for more than six years, when she helped establish the firm's Discrimination Law Practice, and worked with major employers, universities and government departments. In 2000 she became the first Director of the Office of Children's Rights Commissioner for London, which modeled effective children's participation in government and is now an integral part of the Greater London Authority, London's new regional government. She has co-authored several books on governance, human rights, government policy and women and power.
Mr Iain Ross
Mr Iain Ross joined Corrs Chambers Westgarth as a partner in the Workplace Relations Practice Group in Melbourne in January 2006. Prior to his present position, Iain was a Vice President of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, a position he held from almost 12 years. In that position Iain was involved in the resolution of significant industrial disputes in a range of industries including hospitality, waterfront, electricity generation, aviation and construction.
Iain is also the part-time Chair of the Victoria Law Reform Commission
Mr Jagtar Singh
Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service
Mr Singh is a vastly experienced management executive with a wide range of experience and knowledge gained over 28 years in two fire authorities in the United Kingdom. Jagtar has made a significant contribution at local and national levels. He has worked as a director with overall responsibilities for HR, diversity, procurement, service delivery and corporate services, with the relevant strategic management knowledge, skills and experience . He is a proven leader; experienced in managing, motivating, and developing teams to achieve their objectives, and in developing and delivering strategic policy, budgets and partnerships. He is recognised by government, peers and the community as a leader in the field with several awards for high achievement including an OBE from the Queen in 2004.
Mr Mikael Smith
Mikael Smith employs the knowledge and experience gained through senior roles with community based organisations, State and Local Government Agencies and the private sector to decrease the widening life expectancy gap and poor socio-economic disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal people in comparison to the wider Australian community.
Mikael is the owner of Aboriginal Consultancy Services and the Outback Cafe Catering Company as well as being Director of The Replay Group’s Indigenous Centre and is an Executive Board Member of Reconciliation Victoria.
Dr Helen Szoke
Dr Helen Szoke has been the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Conciliator of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission since December 2004.
Helen is currently a member of the National Health and Medical Research Licensing Committee, Director of Adult Multicultural Education Services and Director of the Melbourne High School Foundation. She has served as a committee member and Chairperson of the Women's Health Victoria, Ethics Committee of the Royal Women's Hospital, a member of the Victorian Family Therapy Association Ethics Committee, a member of the School Council of Melbourne High School, an executive member of the Victorian Council of Social Services and an inaugural executive member of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia. She also served one term as a city councilor in the Preston City Council.
Mrs Maria Tonks
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service, UK
Maria Tonks is the Equality and Diversity Manager at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in England and has been working in the field if equality and diversity for the past 12 years.
Maria is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and holds a BA (Hons) in Professional Training and Development in Diversity. She is one of the leading diversity professional in the British Fire and Rescue Service and is a key member of the National E&D Professional Group and Equality Forum working with Communities for Local Government and members of the Chief Fire Officers Association to mainstream this agenda.
In 2004 Maria received a British Diversity Award for Diversity Manager of the Decade for her contribution in driving the equality and diversity agenda forward both personally and within her organisation. She has been responsible for West Yorkshire receiving recognition from the Government as an Exemplar Employer for their progress in recruiting women as firefighters; being placed in the top 100 list in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index supporting gay and lesbian staff; and a European Leonardo Project designing diversity training packages with 4 European partners.
She has worked with a range of Emergency Services including the police, NHS, Primary Care Trusts and blue chip companies including BMW and British Gas.
Maria is married to Brian, her son Robert is a firefighter and her daughter in law works in Fire Control.
Captain Louie Wright
Captain Louie Wright is currently the 2nd District Vice President of the International Association of Fire Fighters and Chairs its Human Relations Committee. Mr Wright is a career firefighter with three Commendations for Bravery awarded in 1978, 1980 and 1998. Mr. Wright has practiced and lectured in law in the United States. He was a scholarship recipient to the Harvard Trade Union Program and later returned to Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he obtained a Masters Degree in Public Administration and was named a Littauer Fellow for academic excellence and leadership. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from UMKC School of Law, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review. He has written and spoken on various topics involving the trade union movement and fire and emergency services.
International Association of Fire Fighters – 2nd District Vice President for the region that includes the states of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Mr Wright is also President of Local 42, which represents members in 12 different bargaining units in the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area, including firefighters, emts, paramedics and prosecutors.
Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department – Captain on Rescue 1 and licensed EMT.
Blake & Uhlig (Labor Attorneys) – Of Counsel to the firm of Blake & Uhlig, which represents various local and international unions.
Ms Daphne Yarram
Daphne Yarram has been involved in Aboriginal Affairs in Victoria since she was sixteen years of age. Throughout her working life she has been a passionate advocate and actively worked to promote and raise the profile of Victorian Aboriginal people and communities and supporting them to improve their social and economic circumstances and to develop local solutions to respond to issues that impact on their daily lives. Recently, Daphne was awarded the Sir Douglas Nicholls Fellowship for Indigenous Leadership which will allow her to expand her work in this area.
Daphne is passionate about ensuring that Victorians and Australians generally, recognise the diversity and strong representation of Aboriginal people as part of the wider community, whose' vibrant culture and heritage is still alive and thriving.
Carl St Paul
Carl St Paul joined the London Fire Brigade in 1987. He is a founding member of the Black and Ethnic Minority Members (B&EMM) of the British Fire Brigades Union which was founded in 1995 and became the first National Secretary of B&EMM, a position he still holds today.
Over the years Carl has represented countless members who have suffered racial harassment and bullying in the work place achieving acceptable resolution in every case.In recent years Carl has fostered working links with a number of different Fire Brigades by giving presentations to Chief Fire Officers and Principal Management on the theme of equality & diversity. The objective of these presentations was aimed to establish a closer working relationship between B&EMM (Fire Brigades Union) and Management.
Carl has been involved in many UK National initiatives that have led to Equality and Diversity becoming fully mainstreamed in the infrastructure of the British Fire Service. Carl has progressed from Crew Manager to Station Manager and is now one of the highest ranking Black officers in London.