Taskforce Members
Mr Joe Ross - Chair
Mr Joe Ross is the Chair of the Indigenous Water Policy Group (IWPG) within the Northern Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA) and an advisory member of the Australian Governments Indigenous Youth Leadership Programme. He is a member of the Bunuba people in the Kimberley region of Western Australian and lives in Fitzroy Crossing.
Mr Ross is a Graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program (Course 5) and was awarded a Centenary medal for his active role in creating innovative leadership for young Indigenous leaders.
Mr Ross was a delegate to the Australia 2020 summit.
Mr Richard Ah Mat
Mr Richard Ah Mat is currently Chair of NAILSMA and a Non-Executive Director of the Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation. Mr Ah Mat is also a board member of the Cape York Corporation and the Cape York Institute. Mr Ah Mat is a descendent of the Yupangathi group from the Pennefather River region on western Cape York Peninsula and from the Wuthathi, whose traditional lands cover the 'white sand' around Shelburne Bay on East Cape York.
Mr David Baffsky AO
Mr David Baffsky is the Honorary Chairman of Accor Asia Pacific, a Director of the Indigenous Land Corporation and a Director of Tourism Asset Holdings Limited. He is currently a member of the Business Government Advisory Group on National Security. He is a Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW and has recently joined the boards of Ariadne Australia Limited and Singapore Airport Terminal Services. He is a founder and life member of the Tourism Taskforce. In 2001, Mr Baffsky was made an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia. In 2009 Mr Baffsky was appointed to the Board of Sydney Olympic Park Authority.
Dr Stuart Blanch
Dr Stuart Blanch is the Coordinator of the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory, a Board member of the Natural Resource Management Board (NT) and was a Non-Executive Director of Land and Water Australia. Dr Blanch was formerly the Manager of Northern Landscapes for the World Wildlife Fund Australia and previously worked on national water policy and restoring the Murray-Darling Basin with the Inland Rivers Network and Australian Conservation Foundation.
Dr Blanch was a delegate to the Australia 2020 Summit.
Mr David Crombie
Mr David Crombie is the President of the National Farmers' Federation, a Director of GRM and Rosewood Pty Ltd; and the President of Queensland Rugby Union. Mr Crombie has also held positions as Managing Director of GRM Group and QNTP group; Chairman of the Board, Meat and Livestock Australia; Board member and Deputy Chairman of GRAINCO Australia. Mr Crombie was a delegate to the Australia 2020 Summit and continues to operate family properties in Southern Queensland.
Mrs Elaine Gardiner
Mrs Elaine Gardiner is Chair of the Ord Irrigation Cooperative, Chair of the Community Reference Group (Ord Expansion) and is a National Water Commissioner. Mrs Gardiner is active in the water reform process in Western Australia, and contributed to the development of the Ord River Water Management Plan. Mrs Gardiner has farmed in the Ord for the past 20 years.
Dr Rosemary Hill
Dr Rosemary Hill is the Vice-President of the Australian Conservation Foundation and a Senior Scientist at CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems. Dr Hill has been an active conservationist for 25 years and has extensive experience in environmental science and management, particularly in relation to Indigenous people's knowledge and planning systems. Dr Hill is a member of the board of Ecotrust Australia; the World Commission on Protected Areas; Commission on Economic, Environmental and Social Policy; Wet Tropics Scientific Advisory Commission; and International Association for Society and Natural Resources. Dr Hill has received the National CRC Association Award for Excellence in Innovation; the Cassowary Award; and the International Women's Day Award for Excellence.
Dr Andrew Johnson
Dr Andrew Johnson is Group Executive - Environment at the CSIRO and currently leads the CSIRO's water, land, climate, marine, biodiversity, regional development and NRM research. Dr Johnson is a Director of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and Reef and Rainforest Research Ltd. He is also a member of various advisory Boards of organisations responsible for environmental management in Australia. Previously Dr Johnson held positions as Executive Director, CSIRO Strategic Change Programs and Chief CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Division.
Ms Shirley McPherson
Ms Shirley McPherson is the Chair of the Indigenous Land Corporation. Ms McPherson is also a board member of First Australians in Business and a member of the Australian delegation to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples. Ms McPherson has held senior positions in the private, government and university sectors and has a background in regional, national and international program delivery and business development.
Mr Michael Roche
Michael Roche is the Chief Executive of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC). Before joining the QRC in 2005, Michael spent nine years with the Australian Stock Exchange in Sydney, including more than three years as the Executive General Manager of ASXs markets and market data businesses. Michael has served as a senior executive in the Australian Government in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, almost five years as Chief of Staff to the Queensland Treasurer and two years as Deputy Director-General in the Queensland Cabinet Office. Michael currently serves on several boards and advisory committees, including as chair of the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy board, and board member of the Mining Industry Skills Centre and the Australian Coal Association. Michael is a member of the Premiers Employment Taskforce, the Queensland Transport and Logistics Council and he was appointed in 2009 as a Queensland Resource Industry Ambassador.
Mrs Terry Underwood, OAM
Mrs Terry Underwood is a director of Riveren Nominees Pty Ltd, her family company which owns and operates three Northern Territory pastoral properties supplying the Live Export Trade. Mrs Underwood has held positions on the Isolated Childrens and Parents Association, Katherine School of the Air Council, Northern Territory University Council and is a life member of the Northern Territory Cattlemens Association. Her best selling autobiography In The Middle Of Nowhere, is currently in 19th reprint. Mrs Underwood was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in Queens Birthday 2005 Honours for services to community and the cattle industry and was a delegate to the Australia 2020 summit.
Prof Bob Wasson
Professor Bob Wasson is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research at Charles Darwin University. Professor Wasson was previously Director of the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies in the Institute of Advance Studies at the Australian National University as well as the Dean of Science. He is recognised nationally and internationally for research that underpins the management of natural resources.
Mr Wali Wunungmurra
Mr Wali Wunungmurra is a senior elder of the Dhalwangu Clan from North East Arnhem Land. Mr Wunungmurra is the sixth Chairman of the NLC and he lives in Yarrkala and on his Homeland. Born and educated at Yirrkala, Mr Wunungmurra studied in Brisbane before returning home to assist the Yolngu Clans during the historic Gove Land Rights case in 1971. Mr Wunungmurra has a long history in the struggle for land rights. He is a signatory of the Yirrkala bark petition, one of the earliest claims to land rights in Australia, presented to the Australian Parliament in 1963.
Due to illness Mr Wunungmurra was unable to participate in Taskforce activities after April 2009. To ensure Mr Wunungmurra's knowledge, experience and Indigenous perspective were represented in Taskforce deliberations, Mr Kim Hill, CEO, Northern Land Council was invited to represent Mr Wunungmurra on the Taskforce.
Mr Kim Hill
Mr Kim Hill belongs to a number of language groups including the Ngarriman, Tiwi and Jingili peoples of the Northern Territory.
Mr Hill is currently the CEO of the Northern Land Council. Educated in Darwin at St John's College and Darwin High School, Mr Hill worked as an electorate officer for Mr Jack Ah Kit (former MLA) and as a senior government advisor to the Northern Territory Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Business Minister. Mr Hill has represented Aboriginal people at local, national and international forums.