Speakers Profiles

Anthony Albanese - Member for Grayndler

Shadow Minister for Environment & Heritage, Shadow Minister for Water
Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Anthony was elected Member for Grayndler in 1996. He was born in Camperdown and educated at St Joseph's Camperdown and Christian Brothers, St Mary's Cathedral. He worked for the Commonwealth Bank and then studied economics at Sydney University. He was a research officer for the then Minister for Local Government and Administrative Services, Tom Uren and in 1989 was elected assistant general secretary of the NSW ALP, a position he held until 1995.

Anthony has been a delegate to National Conference since 1986. He was elected to the Shadow Ministry on 22 November 2001.

David Bassanese

David Bassanese is the economics and financial markets analyst with the Australian Financial Review. He has a broad range of economic research experience, beginning with the Commonwealth Treasury in Canberra in the late 1980s, the OECD in the early 1990s, and then several year financial markets experience as a senior economist and interest rate strategist at Bankers Trust and Macquarie Bank.

David has a First Class Honours degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide , and a Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University . He also has some entrepreneurial experience, as part-founder of Café OZ, Paris ’s first Australian theme bar.

David lives at Bondi Beach Sydney, and is an avid follower of the Sydney Swans.

Caroline Bayliss

Eric Beecher

Eric Beecher started his career in newspapers as a reporter on The Age, The Sunday Times and The Observer in London . In 1984, at age 33, he became the youngest editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, and in 1987 was appointed editor-in-chief of the Herald and Weekly Times newspaper group . In 1990 he became a founder and major shareholder in The Text Media Group, where he was Chief Executive Officer until 2002. In 2003 he formed Private Media Partners with Diana Gribble and launched The Reader magazine. In February 2005, Private Media acquired Crikey.com.au. He is currently working as publisher of Crikey.

Julian Burnside QC

Julian Burnside is a barrister practising in Melbourne and other parts of Australia. He joined the Bar in 1976 and took silk in 1989.

He acted for the Ok Tedi natives against BHP, for Alan Bond in fraud trials, for Rose Porteous in numerous actions against Gina Rinehart, and for the Maritime Union of Australia in the 1998 waterfront dispute against Patrick Stevedores. He was the Senior Counsel assisting the Australian Broadcasting Authority in the “Cash for Comment” inquiry and for Liberty Victoria in the Tampa litigation.

He is passionately involved in the arts. He collects contemporary paintings and sculptures and regularly commissions music. He is, Chair of Fortyfive Downstairs, Chair of Chunky Move, deputy Chair of Musica Viva Australia and a council member of the Victorian College of the Arts.

He has written a successful children’s book, Matilda and the Dragon (Allen & Unwin) and a book of essays on language and etymology, Wordwatching – field notes from an amateur philologist, (Scribe, 2004). He compiled a book of letters written by asylum seekers held in Australia’s detention camps. The book, From Nothing to Zero was published in 2003 by Lonely Planet.

He is married to artist Kate Durham.

Kim Carr - Senator for Victoria

Shadow Minister for Housing; Urban Development; Local Government and Territories

Kim Carr was appointed to the Senate in 1993 following the resignation of John Button. Kim was reelected in March 1993.

He has been a member of the ALP since 1975, serving on the ALP National Executive and been a delegate to the ALP National Conference and the ALP State Conference.

Kim's policy interests include Education, Industrial Affairs, Communications and the Media, Regional Development, Defence, and Cultural Heritage.

Kim Carr graduated with a BA (Hons), MA and Dip Ed (Melb) and worked as a teacher from 1979 to 88 and 1992 to 93 at the former Glenroy Technical College.

Between 1988 and 1992 he worked as Policy Analyst and Advisor for Joan Kirner who was then the Victorian Minister for Conservation Forest and Lands, and Minister for Education. He also worked as a Policy Advisor to the State Minister for Planning and Housing, the Hon. A. McCutcheon.

Kim Carr is married with three daughters and one son.

Ms Patricia-Joy (Tricia) Caswell

Chief Executive Officer
Victorian Association of Forest Industries (VAFI)

Tricia Caswell is the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries (VAFI), 320 Russell St , Melbourne 3000.

Tricia began her working life as a teacher at secondary, TAFE and tertiary levels. She became one of the nation's first women trade union leaders; was General Secretary of the Teachers Trade Union of Victoria an elected Industrial Officer at the Victorian Trades Hall Council, and a member of the ACTU Executive.

From 1992 to 1995 Tricia held the position of Executive Director of the Australian Conservation Foundation. From here she went on to be the Executive Director of PLAN International Australia, an international aid and development organisation and then the Founding Executive Director of the Global Sustainability Institute at RMIT University , from 2000 – June 2004.

Greg Combet

Greg Combet became Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in February 2000.
Born in 1958, Greg has tertiary qualifications in engineering, economics and labour relations and the law. He worked as a miner and in minerals exploration before being employed by the NSW Tenants' Union as a project officer and then by the Lidcombe Workers' Health Centre.

Greg started work with the Waterside Workers' Federation in 1987, one of the unions that merged to form the Maritime Union of Australia. He became a Senior Industrial Officer at the ACTU in 1993 and was elected ACTU Assistant Secretary in 1996.

During this time, Greg worked with unions representing employees in a wide variety of industries, and has overseen the ACTU's Living Wage case for low paid workers since 1997.

Greg became Secretary of the ACTU in February 2000, following the resignation of Bill Kelty.

Greg has coordinated numerous union campaigns, including the high profile 1998 waterfront dispute, the effort to rescue the jobs and entitlements of Ansett workers and also led the campaign and negotiations with James Hardie to secure funding for compensation for asbestos victims.

Simon Crean - Member for Hotham

Shadow Minister for Regional Development

Simon was born in Melbourne and educated at Melbourne High School and Monash University where he obtained degrees in economics and law. In 1985, he was elected President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) having been ACTU Junior Vice-President (1981-83) and ACTU Senior Vice-President (1983-85). He was a member of the governing body of the International Labor Organisation, the Economic Planning and Advisory Council, the Board of Qantas, the Board of the AIDC and the Transport Industry Advisory Council.

Following his election to Federal Parliament in 1990, Simon was appointed Minister for Science and Technology. He was also Minister Assisting the Treasurer with responsibility for the Prices Surveillance Authority, the Foreign Investment Review Board and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. From June 1991 until December 1993, Simon was Minister for Primary Industries and Energy. He was then appointed Minister for Employment, Education and Training.

From March 1996, he was Shadow Minister for Industry and Regional Development and Manager of Opposition Business and in October 1998, he was elected Deputy Opposition Leader and appointed Shadow Treasurer.

Following the 2001 federal election, Simon was elected unopposed as Leader of the Opposition on 22 November 2001.

He resigned as leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party on 2 December 2003.

Glyn Davis

Professor Glyn Davis is Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne , Foundation Chair of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, and President of the Group of Eight, representing Australia’s leading research universities.

His board experience includes the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the South Bank Corporation and the Queensland and Melbourne Theatre Companies.

Professor Davis was previously Director-General of the Queensland Department of Premier and Cabinet. He holds first class honours in political science from the University of New South Wales and a doctorate from the Australian National University. His postdoctoral work in the United States included a Harkness Fellowship at Harvard University .

Professor Davis is a Companion of the Order of Australia and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia .

Julian Disney

ulian Disney is Director of the Social Justice Project at the University of New South Wales. He is also National Chair of Anti-Poverty Week. Formerly he has been President of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), World President of the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), Director of the Centre of International Law at the ANU and Chair of the National Summit on Affordable Housing.

Stephen Duckett

Stephen Duckett is Professor of Health Policy and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University. From 1994 to March l996 he was Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health. From l983 – 1993 Professor Duckett held various operational and policy positions in the Victorian Department of Health and Community Services and its predecessors, including of Director of Acute Health Services, in which position he was responsible for designing and implementing Victoria’s case mix funding policy.

He is currently chair of the Board of Directors of Bayside Health (the public health service responsible for the Alfred, Caulfield and Sandringham hospitals) and chair of the Board of Directors of the Brotherhood of St Laurence.

He was elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia in 2004.

John Faulkner - Senator for New South Wales

Born in Leeton in south-west New South Wales, John was educated in the public school system and then studied at Macquarie University where he completed an Arts Degree and Diploma in Education. He was a member of the Macquarie University Council from 1984 to 1992. After joining the Labor Party as a teenager he held a range of positions, including assistant general secretary of the NSW branch from 1980 to 1989.

He has been a member of the ALP National Executive since 1989 and a delegate to National Conference since 1984. He also was also a specialist teacher of children with severe disabilities and a research officer for the NSW Minister for Sport and Recreation.

John entered the Senate in 1989 following the resignation of Senator Arthur Gietzelt and was elected for further six-year terms in 1993 and 1998. He was a member of the second Keating ministry — Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel and Manager of Government Business in the House. In 1994 he was also appointed Minister for Sport and Territories. Later in 1994, he moved into Cabinet as Minister for the Environment, Sport and Territories.

After the 1996 Federal election, John became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Social Security. He has served as Shadow Minister for Olympic Coordination and the Centenary of Federation and Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Government Services.

John was re-elected to the Shadow Ministry on 22 November 2001.

John Freebairn

Appointed in 2005, Professor John Freebairn is Director of the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at the University of Melbourne. He holds a PhD from the University of California (Davis). Prior to this position, John worked closely with the Melbourne Institute as both an Adjunct Professor and a member of the Advisory Board.

John’s research interests have included various aspects of applied economic and social research. He has a particular interest in the analysis of policy options for taxation reform, labour markets (particularly unemployment), infrastructure pricing and investment, and microeconomic reform.

He is the author of numerous articles in international and Australian economics journals and book chapters, and he has co-authored and edited a number of books.

Dr Joshua Funder

Dr Joshua Funder joined GBS in 2004 with experience in biotechnology management, business strategy and the international pharmaceutical industry. Before joining GBS he worked in corporate strategy and development at Infinity Pharmaceuticals, a drug discovery start-up in Boston. Joshua also worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group in San Francisco, focusing primarily on corporate strategy in the high-tech and bio-pharmaceutical sectors. In addition he worked with the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative to successfully negotiate reduced prices for anti-retrovirals and initiate pharmaceutical supplies across eastern and southern Africa. Joshua served as interim CEO of Proacta Inc following GBS investment and is on the board of GBS portfolio company Biocomm.

Joshua earned his Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degrees at Melbourne University and his Master of Laws degree at the London School of Economics. He holds a D.Phil in intellectual property for biotechnology from Oxford University where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

Professor Michael Georgeff

Professor Michael Georgeff is Principal of Precedence Research and Research Professor in Information Technology at Monash University.  He is a consultant to government and industry in the US, Europe and Australia on information technology strategy in health care and e-business and serves on the boards of various companies. 

In the 1980s, Professor Georgeff was Program Director in the Artificial Intelligence Center at SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) . He was also a member of Stanford University 's Center for the Study of Language and Information, a select group of researchers exploring the frontiers of human and machine cognition. During this period, he and his team created one of the first implementations of an intelligent software agent, using it to help control NASA’s space shuttle during space missions.

In 1988, Professor Georgeff was invited back to Australia by the Prime Minister, Mr. Robert Hawke, to set up the Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute (AAII). As Founding Director, he established AAII as a world leader in intelligent agent technology.

Professor Georgeff was also Founding Director of the Centre for Intelligent Decision Systems, the first software research centre created under Australia ’s Cooperative Research Centre program. He was instrumental in building a critical mass of expertise in intelligent systems in universities, defence, and other Australian organizations.

In 1997, Professor Georgeff founded Agentis International, a US software company that provides adaptive process management products for Fortune 1000 companies. Agentis is recognized by major US business analysts as the most innovative technology company in its market.

Professor Georgeff is a Fellow of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence and a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society. In 1990, the Bulletin proclaimed Professor Georgeff one of Australia’s “national assets”, the only technologist among the fifty-five persons so recognized.

Professor Georgeff is currently leading an industry and research consortium to establish an intelligent network of health services across Australia.

Dennis Glover

Dennis Glover is an associate fellow of the School of Social Sciences at La Trobe University.  He is an author and speechwriter who has worked for numerous Labor leaders, ministers and shadow ministers at the state and federal level.  His most recent book is Orwell's Australia, Scribe, 2003.

Nicholas Gruen

Nicholas Gruen has an LLB Hons from Melbourne University and a BA Hons (First Class) in History and a Ph.D. from ANU.

He was adviser to Senator John Button in the mid 1980s and heavily involved in the Button Car Plan. He was advisor to Treasurer Dawkins before he was appointed to the Productivity Commission from 1994 to 1997 when he resigned to take a position as director of the Business Council of Australia’s New Directions program.

In 2000 he established economic consultancy, Lateral Economics and Peach Discount Mortgage Broking.

Dr Gruen is a Visiting Fellow of ANU’s Asia Pacific School of Economics and Government and Visiting Fellow of Melbourne University’s Centre for Public Policy.

He has published widely on subjects from microeconomic reform to intellectual property and fiscal policy institutions. He is a weekly economic columnist for the Courier Mail and a regular contributor to the centrist blog ‘Troppo Armadillo’.

Julie Hansen

Julie Hansen has extensive experience at the community - local government interface as a former Surf Coast Shire Councillor ( 1994-2004), serving two terms as mayor, and President of the Victorian Local Governance Association( 2000-05). She has been actively involved in developing policy initiatives in environmental, governance, strategic landuse, tourism, community planning, consultation and engagement areas from local to State level.

Currently she is a member of the Greenfleet Board, Barwon Water Board, State Government Local Sustainability Accord Committee, Victorian Communities Ministerial Advisory Committee, Coastal Spaces project and Great Ocean Road Coast Committee.

Ryan Heath

Ryan Heath grew up in Coffs Harbour before studying Communications at UTS where he was elected Student President, worked for Random House and wrote opinion articles for the Sydney Morning Herald. He decamped from being a student ratbag, following stints with the National Youth Roundtable and National Union of Students, to be an ALP adviser. He quit in 2003 to travel and finish his degree. 

In December 2003 Ryan was recruited by the UK Cabinet Office and became a press officer to six Cabinet Ministers, a Private Secretary to the Government Chief Information Officer and is now speechwriter and events coordinater for Britain's most senior public servant, Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary. His first book – on generations and revitalising Australia – will be published in February 2006. He is 25.

Barry Jones AO

National President, ALP

Barry Jones, a former teacher, lawyer, politician, writer and broadcaster, joined the ALP in 1950. He was a Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly 1972-77, Member of the House of Representatives from 1977-98, Minister for Science 1983-90, and Australia's representative to UNESCO in Paris 1991-95. He is the only person to have been elected as a Fellow of the four Australian Academies. In 1998 he was Deputy Chair of the Constitutional Convention on the Republic and chaired the Victorian Schools Innovation Commission 2001-05. He is a Vice Chancellor's Fellow at Melbourne University, chairs the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority and serves on six medical research boards.

He was National President of the ALP 1992-2000.

His best known book Sleepers, Wake! published in 1982, is now in its 26 th impression. He also wrote Dictionary of World Biography (1998). He has completed his autobiography, A Thinking Reed to be published in 2005 by Allen & Unwin.

James Jupp

Dr James Jupp has been Director of the Centre for Immigration and Multicultural Studies at the Australian National University since 1988.

He was educated at the London School of Economics between 1951 and 1956. In 1989 he was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. He was an adjunct professor at the RMIT University in Melbourne from 2002 to 2005.

Dr Jupp became a member of the Order of Australia (AM) on Australia Day 2004 for "service to the development of public policy in relation to immigration and multiculturalism, to education, and to the recording of Australian history".

Dr Jupp was a member of the Commonwealth Advisory Council on Multicultural Affairs (1988-89). He was chairman of the Review of Migrant and Multicultural Programs and Services, which presented its report Don't Settle for Less, to the Minister for Immigration in August 1986.

Dr Jupp has published widely on immigration and multicultural affairs and has acted as a consultant for the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Department of Immigration, and other public agencies. In 2002 he published a survey of immigration policy, From White Australia to Woomera, with Cambridge University Press. His latest book for Cambridge UP, The English in Australia, appeared in May 2004.

John Langmore

John Langmore is a Professorial Fellow in the Political Science Department at the University of Melbourne . He was Director of the UN Division for Social Policy and Development in New York for five years from 1997 and then Representative of the International Labour Organization to the United Nations for two. One of his principal responsibilities while working in the UN was organisation of the special session of the General Assembly on social development held in Geneva in June 2000. When appointed, he was the most senior Australian working in the UN Secretariat. He is the national president of the UN Association of Australia. His book Dealing with America : the UN, the US and Australia was published by the University of NSW Press in September this year.

Between 1984 and 1996, he was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives for the seat of Fraser , where he chaired several House or Labor Party committees on economic policy, social justice, the environment and the Australian Capital Territory . Before being elected to Parliament Mr. Langmore was Economic Advisor to the Labor Economic Spokesman and then the Australian Treasurer. With Ralph Willis he was an initiator of the Accord between the Labor Party and the Australian Council of Trade Unions, which was the central feature of the economic strategy that simultaneously and significantly reduced Australian unemployment and inflation between 1983 and 1989.

Jenny Lewis

Dr Jenny Lewis is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Political Science, University of Melbourne. With an honorary position at the University’s Centre for Health and Society.

She currently holds a five year VicHealth/Department of Human Services Research Fellowship. Jenny has published widely in academic journals and has just released a book “Health, Policy and Politics: networks, ideas and power”.

She has taught health, politics and policy, public policy and research methods and worked for the State Government in a number of different roles and as a consultant.

Jenny Macklin - Member for Jagajaga

Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Minister for Education, Training, Science & Research

Jenny Macklin is the Deputy Federal Labor Leader and Shadow Minister for Education, Training, Science & Research.

Jenny has been the Member for Jagajaga since March 1996 and immediately joined the Shadow Ministry.

In her first term she held a succession of portfolios covering Aged Care, Social Security, Family Services and the Status of Women.

After the 1998 election, Jenny was appointed Shadow Minister for Health and the Status of Women. She was elected Senior Vice-President of the ALP in 2000.

Jenny was elected Deputy Leader of the Opposition following the 2001 election and appointed Shadow Minister for Employment, Education & Training.

Prior to entering parliament Jenny was the Director of two major strategic reviews reporting to the then Deputy Prime Minister, Brian Howe.

• 1990 - 1993, Director, National Health Strategy, a comprehensive review of Australia's health system.
• Between 1993 and 1995, the Australian Urban and Regional Development Review produced 13 policy papers on investment strategies for developing infrastructure in Australia's cities and regions.

Jenny has also worked as an adviser to the Victorian Minister for Health and as an economics research specialist.

Jenny was born in Brisbane, went to primary school in Cohuna and to high school in Wangaratta, Northern Victoria. Between high school and university, Jenny spent a year as an exchange student in Japan.

Besides her family and politics, Jenny's great passions in life are surfing, jazz music and her two dogs, Billie and Fats. Jenny also enjoys camping, bush walking and Australian literature. She is a long-time Geelong supporter.

Jenny holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) from the University of Melbourne.

Robert Manne

Robert Manne is Professor of Politics at La Trobe University. Over three decades, he has contributed to debate in this country through his numerous books, essays, and newspaper articles on culture, politics and international relations. He writes regularly for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Robert Manne has published thirteen books, including The Petrov Affair;The Culture of Forgetting: Helen Demidenko and the Holocaust; and In Denial: The Stolen Generations and the Right. His most recent publications are Whitewash (ed.), The Howard Years (ed.) and Sending them home: refugees and the new politics of indifference.

Robert Manne was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences in 1999. In 1998/9 he served on the Australian Citizenship Council and is presently Chair of the Management Committee of Australian Book Review and a member of the Interim Board of the Stolen Generations Taskforce in Victoria.

Dr Race Mathews

ace Mathews is currently the National Chairman of the Australian Fabian Society, and has recently completed his third term as National Secretary, having held the position for a total of 21 years from 1960-67, 1980-88 and 1998-05. He is an adjunct professor in the faculty of business and law at Deakin University and a former federal MP,  state MP and minister, municipal councillor and chief of staff to Gough Whitlam as Leader of the Opposition. He has written widely on history, political science and public policy.

Alison McClelland

John McInerney

John McInerney is an Architect and Town Planner with extensive experience in planning at local government level. He graduated as an Architect from Melbourne University in 1963 and completed post graduate studies in town planning in London . After extensive overseas experience he concentrated on planning and urban design for the City of Heidelberg in Victoria, then the Cities of Melbourne and Sydney.

After leaving the City of Sydney he created the consulting firm City Plan Services, from which he resigned in March 2004 to stand as a candidate for the Sydney Council election. He is now Chair of the Council Planning Policy Committee and the Traffic Committee. He is also Chair of the ACT Planning and Land Council and past president of the Planning Institute of Australia.

Geoff Mulgan

Geoff Mulgan became director of the Young Foundation in September 2004. Between 1997 and 2004 he had various roles in government including director of the Government’s Strategy Unit and head of policy in the Prime Minister’s office.

Before that he was the founder and director of the think-tank Demos, described by the Economist as the UK’s most influential think-tank; chief adviser to Gordon Brown MP; a consultant and lecturer in telecommunications; and an investment executive. He began his career in local government in London. He has been a reporter for BBC TV and radio and a columnist for national newspapers including the Guardian and Independent.

Geoff is a World Economic Forum Global Leader of Tomorrow, and was ranked in 2004 as one of the UK’s 100 leading public intellectuals. He has lectured in over 30 countries.

He is a visiting professor at LSE and UCL, and a senior fellow at the Australia New Zealand School of Government.

His most recent book is Connexity (Harvard Business Press and Jonathon Cape, 1998). Previous books include: Saturday Night or Sunday Morning (Comedia, 1987); Communication and Control: Networks and the New Economies of Communication (Blackwells, 1991); Politics in an Antipolitical Age (Polity, 1994); Life After Politics (Harper Collins, 1997). He has two books forthcoming in 2005/6 one of which is: Good and Bad Power; and The Art of Public Strategy. Geoff is profiled in two recent books – The New Alchemists by Charles Handy (Hutchinson, 1999) and Visionaries by Jay Walljasper (Utne Books, USA, 2001).

Barbara Norman

Barbara Norman is the Program Director, Environment and Planning, School of Social Sciences, RMIT University.

Barbara is also the Deputy Chair of the ACT Planning and Land Council and a member of the Central Coastal Board in Victoria. Her research and teaching interests are in triple bottom line, strategic planning, coastal planning and management and urban governance.

Barbara was previously Director of Metropolitan Planning and Land Supply in the ACT and head of ACT Housing (public housing agency). She is the immediate past National President of the Planning Institute of Australia and a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Management.

Barbara has worked at a senior level in the Victorian, NSW and ACT public sector and run her own consultancy. Her interests span environment, housing and planning, particularly the linkages between these. She has a strong interest in national policy in these areas and their relevance at the local level.

Barbara was made a Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia 2004 and was the recipient of a Centenary Medal during 2003 for her contribution to the community through urban and regional planning.

Michael O’Connor

Union official since 1985, holding positions with the Operative Painters and Decorators Union, Federated Furnishing Trades Society and the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union. Officer of the Forestry and Furnishing Division of the CFMEU since 1993. Currently holding the position of National Assistant Secretary of the CFMEU Forestry and Furnishing Division.

Member of the ALP since early 80’s. Have been a local branch executive member, delegate to Victorian Branch State Conference, past member of several ALP policy committees. Have attended numerous ALP National Conferences. The CFMEU Forestry and Furnishing Division this year released an extensive discussion paper on the ALP entitled “The Brompton Report”

Heather Ridout

Heather Ridout is Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group, and has previously held the positions of Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director - Public Policy and Communications.

She has responsibility for the overall development and implementation of the Australian Industry Group's policies, strategies and services. Her policy interests embrace the whole range of industry and she has been particularly active in developing Ai Group's public policy in relation to economic, industry, innovation, education and training.

Other positions held involve representation of industry on various State and Federal Government Committees, Industry Councils and Working Parties, including participation in the National Taxation Summit.

Current board appointments include, Member of the General Motors Australian Advisory Council; Member of the Board for Electrolux Home Products; Member of the Prime Minister’s Reference Group on Mapping Science and Technology; and Member of The Advisory Board, Department of Industrial Relations (University of Sydney).

Heather has been twice acknowledged as one of Australia’s top 25 leaders in the Australian Financial Review’s Boss Magazine.

She holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) degree from the University of Sydney.

Marcus Spiller

Marcus Spiller is a Director of SGS Economics & Planning Pty Ltd. His consulting experience spans land economics, regional development, housing policy, infrastructure funding, policy co-ordination systems and business planning for cultural institutions. He has taken up secondments as lecturer in urban economics at Melbourne University, adviser to the Minister for Planning and Housing in Victoria and senior executive in the Queensland Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning. He is an Adjunct Professor in Urban Management at the University of Canberra and the current National President of the Planning Institute of Australia. He is also a Director of VicUrban, the Victorian Government’s land development company.

Wayne Swan - Member for Lilley

Shadow Treasurer

Wayne was educated at Nambour High School before graduating from Queensland University in 1975. He has been a lecturer in public administration at the Queensland Institute of Technology and worked as an adviser to former Opposition Leader Bill Hayden, Special Minister of State Mick Young and Leader of the Opposition Kim Beazley (1996-1998).

Wayne was elected state secretary of the Queensland branch of the ALP in 1991 before being elected to Federal Parliament as the Member for Lilley in 1993. He was re-elected in 1998 and served as Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services and a member of the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.

Wayne was returned at the 2001 federal election and re-elected to the Shadow Ministry on 22 November 2001.

Wayne is patron of the Toombul Cricket Club, the Sandgate Pensioners-Superannuants League, the Sandgate PCYC, Workscope Inc and RSL Community Link for Geebung-Zillmere and is involved in many other sports, education and community organisations and groups.

Evan Thornley

Evan Thornley is active in business, education, the community sector and public policy.

He is currently:

• National Secretary of the Australian Fabian Society and a leader of its Research Committee.
• Proprietor, with partner Tracey Ellery , of Pluto Press Australia – Australia’s premier social issues book publisher whose recent titles included Richard Florida’s “Rise of the Creative Class” and Scott Pape’s “The Barefoot Investor”.
• A member of the Council of The University of Melbourne and its Finance Committee;
• A member of the Board of Directors of The Brotherhood of St Laurence;
• A Board member of the ALP’s Chifley Research Centre;

Evan and Tracey co-founded internet search company LookSmart in October, 1995. LookSmart is headquartered in San Francisco and has about 150 employees. It went public on the NASDAQ in August 1999 and was listed on the ASX in February 2000.

Evan served as CEO of Looksmart from 1995 to October 2002 when Tracey, Evan and their family returned to Australia . He served as Chair of the Board from inception until retiring in July, 2004 and did not seek re-election to its board in 2005.

Prior to LookSmart, Evan was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, the global consulting firm, in their New York , Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne offices. He has degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of Melbourne , where is also served as president of the SRC and as a founding officer of the National Union of Students.

Beth Wilson

On 1 May 1997 Beth Wilson became Victoria’s Health Services Commissioner. She is a lawyer by training, rather than by inclination, and has worked mainly in administrative law. Beth has had a long-standing interest in medico/legal and ethical issues.

The Health Services Commissioner receives and resolves complaints about health service providers with a view to improving the quality of health services for everybody. Prior to becoming Health Services Commissioner, Beth was the President of the Mental Health Review Board, a Senior Legal Member of the Social Security Appeals Board and the WorkCare Appeals Board.

Beth regularly conducts seminars, lectures and classes for consumers, health service providers and others. She is a past President of the Victorian Branch of ANZAPPL (the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law).

In October 2002, Beth was awarded Monash University’s Distinguished Alumni Award for her outstanding professional achievements and inspirational leadership. In April 2003, Beth was awarded the Centenary Medal for her services to health, and in May 2004 Beth was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from RMIT for her contributions to health education.

In her spare time, Beth is learning to play blues harmonica, mandolin and singing. She is a member of the Melbourne Mandolin Training Orchestra.

Penny Wong - Senator for South Australia

Shadow Minister for Employment and Workforce Participation
Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility

Penny was born in Sabah, Malaysia. She moved to Australia when she was eight and settled in the Adelaide Hills. She won a scholarship to Scotch College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Law Degree (Hons) from the University of Adelaide. Penny began working for the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union when she was still studying and stayed with the union after she was admitted to the Bar. She became an elected organiser and industrial officer. She was then employed as a ministerial advisor to the Carr government in New South Wales, concentrating on forest policy. She later returned to Adelaide to practise law.

Party Positions

• Delegate, ALP State Convention (SA) 1989-94 and from 1996.
• Deputy Chair, ALP Platform Committee (SA) 1990-94.
• Member, ALP State Executive (SA) 1996-99.
• Member, ALP National Policy Committee on Industry, Infrastructure and Regional Development 1998-2000.
• Delegate, ALP National Conference 2000.

Qualifications and Occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BA, LLB (Adel), GradDip in Legal Practice (SA).
• Industrial officer 1990-96.
• Barrister and solicitor 1996-2000.
• Legal officer 2000-02.

David Yencken

David Yencken is Professor Emeritus, The University of Melbourne, Patron of the Australian Conservation Foundation and Chair of the Australian Collaboration, a collaboration of peak national community bodies. He has worked in the private sector, in government, as an academic and most recently in the community nonprofit sector.