Sbaa international
small business
summit 2023

Anne Nalder is the Founder/ CEO of the Small Business Association of Australia (SBAA). During her career, Anne has been an employee and employer, therefore understands the challenges faced by both parties with Annes business history spanning nearly 30 years The SBAA is a progressive Association that has achieved many firsts in the areas of small business that will see Anne presenting The Case for Change at the Summit.

Lynda is passionate about creating a fair and competitive trading environment for all Victorians in small business. She works closely with a diverse range of stakeholders and is known for her commitment to collaboration, removing barriers to accessing justice, and forming solutions-focused partnerships with industry and all levels of government.

Senator Cash was elected to the Senate as a Liberal Senator for Western Australia in 2007. She commenced her term on 1 July 2008. She was re-elected as a Senator for Western Australia in 2013, 2016 and 2022.

Since entering public life Michaelia has held a number of Ministerial appointments. Michaelia was appointed to the Cabinet as the Minister for Employment; the Minister for Women and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minster for the Public Service on 21 September 2015. On 20 December 2017, Senator Cash was appointed the Minister for Jobs and Innovation. From 28 August 2018 to 29 March 2021, Senator Cash was the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business. On 29 March 2021, Senator Cash was appointed Attorney-General as well as the Minister for Industrial Relations. Michaelia was also the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate. She held these positions until 23 May 2022.

From 18 September 2013 to 21 September 2015 she was the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women.

In September 2012, she was appointed Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate.

In September 2010, she was appointed to the dual roles of the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Status of Women.

Prior to entering Parliament, Senator Cash was a senior lawyer at law firm Freehills (now Herbert Smith Freehills) practicing employment and industrial law.

Senator Cash holds an Honours Degree in Law from the University of London and a Bachelor of Arts (Social Science) from Curtin University in Perth, graduating with a triple major in public relations, politics and journalism. In addition, she holds a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Western Australia.

Cryptoloc is a cybersecurity company that specialises in encryption and data protection services. With data breaches becoming increasingly prevalent, Cryptoloc’s products help businesses and individuals to establish control, privacy, and useability of their data such that if a breach does happen the data remains secure, accessible, and recoverable.

Dr Luca De Leonardis is the Head for Australia and New Zealand at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the Government Department responsible for attracting and facilitating foreign direct investment into Hong Kong.

With senior management experience in both the private and public sectors, Dr De Leonardis’s work experience combines international marketing, economic and business development and investment promotion.

Prior to joining InvestHK, Dr De Leonardis spent five years as Deputy CEO of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Australia. He also worked in New Zealand, Canada and South Africa for private companies and trade organizations and in Brisbane as Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Griffith University.

Dr De Leonardis holds a Ph.D. In Economics, a Master in Management & Strategy and a Master in International Trade from Bologna University and two advanced diplomas in Business and Management and Economics.

Bruce Billson commenced his role as Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) in March 2021. The Ombudsman is an independent advocate for small and family businesses.

Bruce brings three decades of experience, knowledge, commitment and an understanding of the issues facing small business. Bruce was the Australian Government Cabinet Minister for Small Business from 2013-2015, a founding Director of Judo Bank and has held various board appointments, including the Franchise Council of Australia, Deakin University Business School and Australian Property Institute. He has also owned and operated a number of small businesses, and knows first-hand the joys and challenges this involves.

The mission of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman is to help ensure Australia is the best place to start, grow and transform a small business and family enterprise. ASBFEO understands the challenges facing small and family business and provides advice and research to improve policies, access to dispute resolution services and mental health support should the need arise.

Patrick Coghlan is the CEO of CreditorWatch. In 2010, Patrick became one of the three founding employees of CreditorWatch and helped to shape the innovative product we see today.

Throughout the years, Patrick’s industry knowledge has become second to none. His leadership qualities have enabled him to play a key part in developing CreditorWatch’s values and team-spirited culture, as well as drive the company to considerable growth.

Andrew leads the Presales team for GoTo in the Asia Pacific region. From individual roles in voice and IP networks to leadership roles in networking, security and SaaS, Andrew is passionate about technology that can improve people’s lives by enabling better connections, automating routine activities, and securing their information.

Dominique Lamb is an experienced stakeholder advocate.

In December 2022, Dominique Lamb was appointed as the Queensland Small Business Commissioner.

Formerly as the CEO of the NRA, Dominique played an integral role in the development of the federal leasing code throughout the COVID lockdown period with industry organisations representing landlords and tenants.

Recently, the QSBC helped design the Queensland Government’s small business study, the small business survey, and the upcoming Understanding Migrant Small Business Research project.

Dominique is looking forward to sharing these findings and leveraging these insights for the benefit of small business owners across the sunshine state.

If you are small business looking for information, guidance or simply are not sure what to do next, reach out to the QSBC today.

Aishwarya Somal is the Director of Emerson Migration Law and Global Pathways Education and Migration Services. Now a Global Mobility Expert/Senior Immigration Lawyer, she was the recipient of the Nick Xynias Lord Mayors’ Young Multicultural Businessperson of the Year 2020, was inducted into the Queensland Government’s inaugural Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Honour Roll for her work within the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and wider communities in preventing Domestic and Family Violence.

Under her leadership, her firm has received accolades such as Best Boutique Migration Law Firm 2021 – Australia (Acquisition International), Global Law Experts Recommended Immigration Law Firm Australia 2021 and 2022. The Director is now placed within the Top 3 Immigration Lawyers in Brisbane and has been identified by The Silicon Review of the United States of America, as being amongst the Top 10 Women Leaders to Watch in 2022. She has been invited to present at the Biennial Small Business Association of Australia’s International Summit 2023 on India/Aus Trade in 2023 and most recently was a finalist for Businesswoman of the Year by the Indian Australian Business and Community Alliance. She now sits as a Committee Member for the Queensland Chapter of the Australia New Zealand – India Business Council.

She is a highly active member of the wider multicultural community in Queensland and has maintained an active role in philanthropy and service to community, demonstrating the value of corporate social responsibility for every business owner.  In 2022 she was appointed Senior Vice President – Brisbane, for Australia’s fastest growing charity, Serving Our People Inc. Vice President (Qld Chapter) Womens Federation for World Peace, which sits in general consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

At present, the India Australia bilateral relationship is gaining very strong momentum on its upward trajectory following the ratification of  Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). Aishwarya believes that over the coming years this will unlock the next level of potential in trade and investment for the region and looks forward to playing her part in promoting the Indo Australian bi lateral relationship.

Anthony Cerantonio has become synonymous with saving small business owners from financial failures and personal breakdowns.

As the founder of Forensic Accounting Group, Anthony draws on his own vast experiences in building and running small businesses, including newspapers, entertainment centres and function venues to multicultural markets, night clubs, health spas and accommodation resorts, to deliver clients with out of the box, legally compliant and financially responsible solutions.

Anthony’s expertise in accounts management and continued advocacy for Australia’s small business market has positioned him as one of the nation’s most well-regarded and in-demand small business specialists and management consultants.

Carol Hanlon, Founder/CEO, Belmont BEC Inc. & TCFWA Inc. has 30year background providing not-for-profit small business support services. Carol’s many projects have assisted over 33,000 small businesses across Australia and globally providing training, mentoring, networking, and global trade opportunities, including UN CSW NGO Global Forums re ‘Economic Empowerment of Women.’

Lisa Sweeney is CEO of Business in Heels works with business and professional women enabling them to succeed. We fast-track them to gain clarity, become focused & achieve success through our key services of mentoring, education, connection and marketing. Today the collaborative community is over 200,000.

Professor George Tanewski is director and research leader of the IPA-Deakin SME Research Centre and a Professor of Accounting in the Deakin Business School. George’s research interests include the SME ecosystem, financial reporting disclosure, and corporate governance, and. he has extensive experience in SME policy work.

Gjoko Muratovski is an innovation specialist working with a wide range of universities, Fortune 500 companies, and various governments from around the world. He also served as a member of various thought-leading organizations such as Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies, Oxford Digital Leaders Network, Yale Higher Education Leadership Summit, Forbes Councils, and the White House Presidential Innovation Fellows.

Bill Lang is a business educator, coach and advisor with over 30 years of experience across a range of industries and countries. Small business is in his DNA; his parents’ small business journey inspired him from a young age, and is a passionate supporter of business leaders of all stages and sizes – particularly new and small businesess.

Bill’s business journey began with ‘Dr Dog’, a hotdog start-up formed with fellow Melbourne Uni students.  Soon after graduating as a Baker Scholar from Harvard Business School, he co-founded two internet businesses that culminated in a $120 million global alliance with AT&T and British Telecom.

He’s entrepreneurial and consulting experience helps business leaders to achieve better individual and organisational outcomes. I’ve advised governments at all levels, and remain actively involved in several industry chambers of commerce and ministerial councils.

As a Director of Small Business Australia, he works with members and partners to research what small business owners need and then advocate to improve conditions for all small businesses. More than simply the engine room of employment, small business owners are the heart and soul of their local communities and supporting them through Buying Local and government policies that help them flourish is essential.

The Small Business Australia team provides information, resources and support to more than 350,000 business owners.

Jo is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Management at Deakin Business School. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Employability Professionals, the Higher Education Academy and the Royal Society of Arts, a Chartered Academic of the Australian Human Resource Institute and Editor Work, Employment and Society.

First elected as a Senator with One Nation in 2016 and then returned to the Senate again in 2019, Malcolm’s passion for freedom, responsibility and service are his guiding principles for his work as a Senator.

Malcolm combines a practical and analytical approach to all his work, has a deep respect for people and an understanding of history’s bigger picture.

Wade is an experienced Company Director with a track record of innovation in the higher education sector. Skilled in Tertiary Education, Entrepreneurship, Business Ownership and Management Consulting. Extensive career in industry before graduating with a Masters in Business Administration, joining academia and earning a Doctor of Philosophy – PhD thesis topic VR Environments and Simulations in Marketing, from Luleå University of Technology, Sweden.

Dr Halvorson has developed engaging undergraduate and postgraduate courses using leading edge technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Worlds, Augmented and Virtual Reality. Developed work-integrated learning programs wherein Entrepreneurship students work with real entrepreneurs on innovative technology start-ups, culminating in a pitch to early stage investors. He has held academic positions at Monash University (current), SP Jain School of Global Management, the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and the University of Canberra / Ducere Business School. His research interests include SMEs, T&L Innovation and Entrepreneurship and he has published in the Journal of Services Marketing, the Journal of Marketing Education, the Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management and Marketing Intelligence & Planning, amongst others. He has also published a case study (9B09A033) and teaching note (8B09A33) with Richard Ivey School of Business in Canada.

Dr Andrea North-Samardzic is currently the Director of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Research Alliance (WERA) founded in 2021 as a collaborative initiative between Deakin University and Symbiosis in India, with a mission to support the success of women entrepreneurs worldwide through research, training, development, and advocacy.

Dr Andrea North-Samardzic is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management in Deakin Business School. Andrea has been in academia for over 21 years, teaching at universities in Australia and overseas. She received her PhD (Organisation & Management) from UNSW, with her research published in esteemed peer-reviewed journals. A regular presenter at international conferences, her areas of expertise include leadership, educational technologies, biometrics and ethics.

Dr Kristijan Mirkovski is a senior lecturer of Information Systems at the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics in Deakin Business School. He received his PhD in Information Systems from the City University of Hong Kong and since has held various academic positions in Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.

Dr Mirkovski’s research focus is on digital innovation and it falls into four research streams: (1) IT adoption and use, (2) information sharing behaviour on social media and social commerce, (3) open innovation in small firms and (4) alternative genres for communicating scholarly research. He also uses a variety of research methods, such as interviews, analysis of secondary data, surveys, and experiments.

His work has been accepted and published by Information Systems Journal, MISQ Executive, Small Business Economics, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Internet Research, Information Systems Frontiers, International Journal of Logistics Management, Electronic Commerce Research, Information Technology & People, IEEE IT Professional and CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly. Dr Mirkovski’s work also has been accepted and presented at internationally-recognized conferences such as AOM (CORE: A*), ICIS (CORE: A*), HICSS (CORE: A), PACIS (CORE: A), AMCIS (CORE: A) and ACIS (CORE: A). He also serves on the advisory editorial board of the International Journal of Logistics Management.

Dr Mirkovski has successfully obtained highly competitive funding as a CI from the Australian Research Council (ARC) for Discovery Project (DP) in the value of AU$288,064 (2023-2025) and as a Co-PI from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in the value of CN¥199,000~ AU$43,257 (2018-2020). He has also worked on research projects with small businesses from the finance industry in China (UGO Internet Company; AU$7,000; 2019-2020) and obtained three internal and inter-university grants in the value of AU$24,678 from Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) and RMIT.

Farmer, diesel technician, regional media publisher and passionate water advocate. Lloyd has witnessed the effects of government policy, climate variability and population migration on communities and environment in Southwest NSW and Northern Victoria. Passionate about prosperous communities, balanced food and fibre production and thriving ecosystems.

Rita Anwari arrived in Australia as an immigrant in 1993, escaping the civil war in Afghanistan. As a victim of the war, she understands the devastating situation the Afghanistan population is currently living, where the most vulnerable ones need their voices to be heard the most.

She pursued her education and made a life in Australia. After spending many years in Australia, Mrs. Anwari never missed an opportunity to help other people in Afghanistan. She has worked tirelessly to empower women in Afghanistan and Australia paving the way for their leadership through her organization Women Empowerment and Leadership (WEL). Mrs. Anwari has strong roots in the Afghan communities both in Australia and Afghanistan. She is a strong voice advocating for the women and children of Afghanistan in the national and international media both in Afghanistan and Australia.

She received an honorary Ph.D.  She also has higher education degrees as well as various diplomas, certificates, and letters from training institutions in Australia. Her major area of expertise is developmental management, international relations, and women’s rights. She also excelled her knowledge in political science and public policy.

On the professional front, Dr. Anwari is currently working through WEL – an organization that she founded in 2017 to support women and children. In addition to WEL, she has established several other organizations such as Peace for Asia. It is an active and one of the largest human rights organizations, based in Geneva. She also participates as a member of executive board for various organisations.

Dr. Anwari is the founder\director of the Afghan-Australian Chamber of Commerce, through which she has successfully created multiple economic channels between Australia and Afghanistan in the past years.

She was the first Afghan-Australian woman to introduce Australian accredited courses to Afghanistan and created higher education opportunities for Afghan students. She successfully organized 35 Ph.D. scholarships for highly educated Afghan men and women in Australian Universities.

Between 2016-2020, Dr Anwari was a cultural advisor to the Australian Defence Force, providing cultural awareness training to the ADF forces before they left for their mission to Afghanistan.

She led an Australian team who travelled to 25 different countries to promote Women’s’ Rights and introduce Australian Education.

Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury and Employment, and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT. Prior to being elected in 2010, Andrew was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard, having graduated from the University of Sydney with first class honours in Arts and Law. Andrew is a past recipient of the Economic Society of Australia’s Young Economist Award and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences.

His books include Disconnected (2010), Battlers and Billionaires: The Story of Inequality in Australia (2013), The Economics of Just About Everything (2014), The Luck of Politics (2015), Choosing Openness: Why Global Engagement is Best for Australia (2017), Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World (2018), Innovation + Equality: How to Create a Future That Is More Star Trek Than Terminator (with Joshua Gans) (2019), Reconnected: A Community Builder’s Handbook (with Nick Terrell) (2020), What’s the Worst That Could Happen? Existential Risk and Extreme Politics (2021) and Fair Game: Lessons From Sport for a Fairer Society & a Stronger Economy (2022).

Andrew is a keen triathlete and marathon runner, and hosts a podcast called The Good Life: Andrew Leigh in Conversation, about living a happier, healthier and more ethical life. Andrew is the father of three sons – Sebastian, Theodore and Zachary, and lives with his wife Gweneth in Canberra. He has been a member of the Australian Labor Party since 1991.

Colin is a former President of AIM NZ Central Division (Wellington); Deputy Chair of the National Board and is a Fellow of both the NZ & Australian Institutes. He has held senior executive posts with several non-profit organisations, charities and membership organisations.  He is a former Director of Business Strategy for KPMG Consulting NZ and a former senior executive with BP Oil with international business experience and training. He is also a Certified Management Consultant, mentor to senior management, publisher of business articles and economic updates and an international speaker. He is a practising company director which has includes listed and unlisted public companies and non-profit organisations.  As a professional consultant he specialises in strategic improvement of businesses and the development of leadership quality in owners and senior managers. He is an experienced retail chain CEO, consultant and developer.

Brett Freudenberg is a Professor – Taxation at Griffith University (Australia). Brett is known for his research expertise for tax policy issues facing small business, as evidenced by his Fulbright (2006) and over 90 articles. He was awarded the national ATTA-Hill medal recognising an outstanding contribution to tax policy and teaching.

A certified plant-killer by her own admission, Megan has not let her lack of possessing a green thumb overshadow her role as CEO of this progressive industry body over the last 9 years.

Like most small associations with limited resources, Megan was brought into the role to manage the diverse nature of business with her broad skillset. Marketing, finance, governance, membership sales and particularly sponsorship and events have grown under Megan’s management. The office plants, not so much.

With prior experience in the corporate sector adding to her portfolio of knowledge, Megan is well versed in delivering high-level strategic planning as well as understanding the detailed nuances required to engage with the various stakeholders of a membership organisation.

Emeka’s dedication to serving others is truly inspiring. Despite sustaining significant physical injuries during his seven-year service in the Royal Australian Air Force, he refused to let this setback hinder his ambitions. Emeka acquired qualifications in various fields, including
community services, business, leadership, and quality auditing, which enabled him to become a devoted disability support worker. He expanded his expertise to include youth work and child protection, drawing on his experience working with individuals with mental and psychological disabilities.

With a decade of leadership experience and a diverse skill set that includes expertise in business principles, IT Service Management, and Systems Engineering, Emeka has become a well-respected community leader. He is passionate about empowering disadvantaged individuals and has created and managed programs for high school students to this end.

Emeka’s compassionate heart is evident in his drive to unite and strengthen the disadvantaged. Emeka’s accomplishments extend beyond community leadership. He is also an accomplished
entrepreneur and currently serves as the CEO of Neta Care PTY LTD, a leading disability care provider in Queensland and Tasmania. He recently launched Brookwater Medical Center, a state-of-the-art healthcare facility that provides top-notch medical services to the local
community.

Emeka’s fast-growing holistic health care firm aims to deliver comprehensive healthcare support services to individuals of all demographics in the comfort of their own homes and within their
communities throughout Australia. His unwavering commitment to excellence is evident in hileadership and drive to create innovative solutions that positively impact the lives of others

Charles Qin leads what is widely regarded as Australia’s leading Chinese communications company which he founded in 1992. Chin Communications provides Language & Communication solutions, Marketing & Chinese Social Media services, and Chinese Culture Consultation.

Charles is one of the most sought-after English-Chinese conference interpreters in the region, at the forefront of many major activities between China and Australia especially important in post-Covid recent improvements to the relationship and trade/exchanges.

As a Senior Interpreter with NAATI Level 5 accreditation, Charles has worked for high-profile organisations and events around the world, including Australian leaders, China’s leaders and US Presidents.

For over 25 years Viv has worked as a business executive and a community leader in corporate, community and government settings. She has held roles at the AustChoice Financial Services, AMP Asset Management and ANZ Banking Group where she led the global organisation’s diversity strategy.

Viv became a member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the multicultural community of Victoria, and was part of Victoria’s first Anti-Racism Taskforce to help inform and drive the state’s Anti-Racism Strategy, amongst many other interdepartmental committees and ministerial advisory taskforces and councils.

Along with her corporate career, Viv’s community activities span many different cultures to provide input into public policy on asylum seekers, civic engagement, participation and human rights.

Vajira Jayasooriya is a Public Accountant and is the Founder/Partner of Austral Accountants, Australia. He specialises in Australian Taxation, Financial & Management Accounting and possesses over 12 years of experience. Being the Co-founder of Muve, a ride-sharing app based in Sri Lanka and Audici, a music reality app are also some highlights of his entrepreneurial life.

Vajira served as a visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo and was also the Chief Accountant of Ice-Skating Queensland Inc. He has gained extensive knowledge in business management by engaging in multiple businesses in the last 15 years. Industries include retail, facility services, outsourcing and IT.

Vajira currently holds an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Colombo, a Master’s in Accounting from Griffith University, a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Central Queensland University and also a Graduate Certificate in Business (Strategy Planning) from the University of New England Australia. Presently, he is reading for his professional Doctorate in Business Administration at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

Furthermore, he is a member of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) Australia, member of the Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) – UK, member of the National Tax & Accountants Association (NTAA) Australia and member of the Tax Institute (FTI) Australia, He is also a Registered Tax Agent in the Tax Practitioner Board (TPB) Australia and a Registered Agent of ASIC.

Vajira has engaged with multiple local organisations in helping the Australian Community, especially by sharing his knowledge and expertise with others. He is also a volunteer tax advisor/consultant for the Small Business Association of Australia. With his new organization called Small Business Counselling Australia for which he is also the Director, Vajira hopes to

provide free counselling that will help improve the mental health of small business owners in Australia.

Vajira also won the prestigious Accountant of the Year national award, as well as the Accountant of the Year award for Queensland, for the year 2022, both of which were bestowed by the Institute of Public Accountants—one of the oldest and most recognized institutions for public accountants in Australia. In 2023, Vajira was a finalist for the Public Accountant of the Year award at the Australia Accounting Awards ceremony, organized by AccountantsDaily. These accolades, among other achievements, underscore his extensive expertise in accounting procedures and taxation, as well as his exceptional dedication to serving his clients and the broader community.

Will Abdo has over 20 years consulting experience in business intelligence and international relations. He assist his clients with business, trade and investment opportunities by providing speciality intelligence & marketing services.

He has been an advisor to the Australian Federal Government on e-marketing and e-commerce strategies for trade markets.

Jan Ford, founder of NuCleanEnergy, promotes reliable, competitive energy.

As a successful business woman in remote Australia, Jan understood how Government regulations restrict power supply.

When the power went out one Friday afternoon in Noosa, businesses were forced to close and no one could get fuel, Jan realised reliable power was now a problem in Australian cities!

Julian (Jolly) Day is an advocate for early-stage innovations and knows what it takes for them to be successful.

He is Founder and CEO of Consensus Awards, a highly successful awards program since 2000. Winners have included Atlassian, WiseTech Global, Integrated Research, and TCS Bancs. He is one of Australia’s ’50 Unsung Business Heroes’.

With over 20 years’ experience in the higher education sector, leading strategic initiatives that respond to the challenges of disruption and opportunities for transformation in education and professional development, Jane currently leads quality assurance and provides advice and support on matters related to microcredentials, associated degrees and pathways.

A senior lawyer in the workplace relations team, Nina is an experienced employment advocate specialising in safety prosecution matters across the manufacturing, meat processing and education sectors. She is an active member of the Industrial Relations Society of Victoria.

Safety prosecutions

With a broad based employment law practice spanning everything from restraints of trade, enterprise and employment agreements to unfair dismissal and general protection claims, Nina’s specialist expertise lies in preventing and defending safety prosecution matters across Australia. Instructed by large enterprises in the manufacturing and meat processing industries, she draws on her in-depth industry sector knowledge to craft preventative safety strategies and mitigate the impact on businesses when workplace incidents do occur.

Strategic governance

For any organisation dealing with health and safety risks, prevention is always better than the cure. Regularly providing strategic governance advice to CEOs and management boards, Nina is adept at identifying risk points within workplace environments. She then guides clients through the process of implementing mitigation measures, from infrastructure and policy changes to in-house training.

With years of experience working in close partnership with her client industries, Nina knows that even the most robust safety plans are subject to human error – and that maintaining a healthy relationship with regulators can be instrumental in managing the risk of prosecution. By ensuring ongoing compliance and cooperation, Nina helps clients build defences which become crucial if and when a mistake does occur.

Defending claims

Sometimes, despite the best of intentions, things do go wrong – particularly in operations involving hundreds of employees and extensive plant and machinery. In the aftermath of an incident, Nina advises on regulator notification and the investigation processes, and works with consultants under privilege to rectify any outstanding issues and prevent prosecution wherever possible. When prosecutions cannot be avoided, Nina assists clients in navigating the complex landscape of safety litigation.  She has a strong track record of achieving successful and commercially sound resolutions from the Magistrates Court through to the Supreme Court, ensuring that any prosecution outcomes prioritise protecting client reputations.

Deep industry expertise Because she works almost exclusively within the meat processing and manufacturing niche, Nina understands the safety concerns inherent to these industries inside out. Proud to build close and sustained working relationships, she cultivates an environment in which her clients have access to support when they need it – whilst also building their own capacity to manage safety risks in the future.

David was formerly the Global Residue Manager for Alcoa’s Refining operations, having overall accountability for the refining residue operations in the United States, Spain, Brazil and Australia.

Prior to this role, David has held senior management and technical roles in Alcoa. He joined Alcoa as a Senior Principal Research Scientist in the Global Refining Centre of Excellence before moving on to the positions of: Clarification Manager, Pinjarra Refinery; Digestion manager, Kwinana Refinery, Production Manager, Kwinana Refinery; and Western Australian Operations Residue Manager.

Before joining Alcoa, David completed a Bachelor of Science with 1st Class Honours and a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Western Australia. He has held technical roles including as a Forensic Scientist and Environmental Scientist with the State Government and also formed the Hydrometallurgy Research Group for Western Mining Corporation.

Outside Alcoa, David has been active in the community. From 2012 – 2018, he was the President of the Kwinana Industries Council, which is an industry body representing the major industries in the Kwinana and Rockingham Industrial area. He is an active Surf Life Saver in the Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club where he has been a member for over 20 years. He has taken on various volunteer roles, including: a 3-year term as State President for the Liberal Party in Western Australia; and as a Guild Councillor, member of Senate, member of Professorial Board and committee member of Convocation at the University of Western Australia.

David was raised on a farm at Cranbrook in the South West of Western Australia. He is married and has 6 children. He has lived in the Cottesloe electorate for 35+ years.

David is now the Member for Cottesloe in our State Parliament and the Shadow Minister for State Development; Water; Hydrogen; Small Business; Science; Innovation & ICT.

Bert is the Federal Member for Forde and the Chief Opposition Whip in Parliament.

Prior to his election to Parliament, Bert had a 30-year career in banking and financial services.

Owning and operating a small business provided him with a unique understanding of the challenges faced by small to medium businesses.

Bert has brought his extensive financial acumen to Parliament, currently serving on the House Economics Committee, and previously serving on the House Tax and Revenue Committee and the Joint Statutory Committee on Corporations and Financial Services.

Meet Collins Mayaki, the visionary founder of Wealthy You, an exceptional Lending Finance Firm, where his mission transcends traditional boundaries. Renowned as a respected investor, financial expert, property guru, captivating speaker, and inspiring coach, Collins Mayaki has dedicated his life to empowering individuals on their journey to financial prosperity.

With an unwavering commitment to transforming lives, Collins has become a guiding light, illuminating the path to lasting wealth. His unparalleled expertise has enabled countless individuals to break free from the shackles of financial limitations and embrace a future filled with endless possibilities.

Through his exceptional leadership and unyielding dedication, Collins Mayaki has helped individuals create generational wealth that extends far beyond their own lifetimes. He has been a catalyst for change, fueling a ripple effect that positively impacts families, communities, and future generations.