New members to the Parole Board Queensland appointed

Minister for Corrective Services has today announced the new single Queensland Parole Board following last year’s parole system review by Mr Walter Sofronoff QC.

Thirty-three permanent, professional and community members have joined the President and two Deputy Presidents to form the new, improved and professionalised Parole Board Queensland aimed at improving community safety.

“Our 33 appointees come from a vast background and have an impressive calibre and experience that will complement the President and the two Deputy President appointments announced last month,” Minister Ryan said.

“These new members will play a fundamental role in community safety by determining whether eligible prisoners were ready for supervised release into the community.

“Once again the Palaszczuk Government is ensuring the right people are leading the reform of Queensland’s parole system, keeping community safety at the forefront of each decision.”

The appointees to Parole Board Queensland include chief executive officers and other senior management executives, Australia Day honours nominees, Public Service Medal and Member of the Order of Australia recipients, specialists in child safety, domestic violence, disability and prison mental health, leading psychologists, academics, chairperson of a nationally recognised charity, solicitors and social workers.

“Each of the appointees is of the highest integrity and I commend them for taking on a challenging and valuable role for the community,” Minister Ryan said.

“These appointments highlight that direct community participation is a fundamental and important aspect of community safety.”

Minister Ryan said to further enhance the focus of community safety, the new board will also consist of two police officers nominated by the Commissioner of Police and three public service officers with experience in probation and parole matters, nominated by the Director-General, Department of Justice and Attorney General.

“The Palaszczuk Government made a commitment to Queenslanders that we would move quickly to ensure the recommendations of the Sofronoff Review were implemented with consideration and due diligence to ultimately enhance the safety of our communities,” he said.

“Today’s permanent, professional and community member appointments deliver on that commitment and ensure Queensland is in safe hands.”

All professional and community Parole Board Queensland members will begin their three year terms on 3 July 2017.

ENDS

Background:

Parole Board Queensland profiles

Community Members

1. Amanda Ritchie – Community Member

Ms Ritchie has over 35 years’ experience working at senior levels in the Federal Public Service. Most recently she held the position of General Manager, CRS Australia from 2012-2015. In this role she was responsible for the delivery of employment services to customers with a disability. She has previously held various roles, senior executive positions within Centrelink, including Chief Financial Officer. In 2015, she received the Public Service Medal in recognition of her public service.

2. Chiu-Hing Chan – Community Member

Mr Chan is currently a serving member of the Southern Queensland Regional Parole Board and the Central and Northern Regional Parole Board. He holds a Master of Journalism, Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of International Relations. He was awarded Young Queenslander of the Year in 2009 and Nominee, Young Australian of the Year in 2010. He is appointed to the National Board of Directors for White Ribbon Australia and is Chairman of the Queensland White Ribbon Committee.

3. Dr Colin Dillon AM APM– Community Member

Dr Dillon is an Indigenous Australian and a descendant of the “Kumbumerri” people of the Yugambeh nation whose traditional country covers all of Queensland’s Gold Coast and its environs. He was the first ever of his people to join a police force anywhere in Australia in 1967. He served for 36 years as a uniformed officer and plain clothes officer. In January 1992, he was awarded the Australian Police Medal for his “distinguished service to the Queensland Police Force”. He was engaged as the Senior Advisor on Indigenous Affairs to the Queensland Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy from 2003-2006. In 2013, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to the Indigenous community

4. Emmanuel (Manny) Hegarty

Mr Hegarty is a Regional Director Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnership (DATSIP), Central Queensland Region. He has held senior positions in DATSIP over the past five years. He has strong ties to the Indigenous community of Queensland and has a strong understanding of areas of concern facing the Parole Board Queensland

5. Francine O’Rourke

Ms O’Rourke is based in Cairns and is a community representative with strong ties to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. She is currently employed as the Indigenous Investigation Conciliation and Outreach officer with the Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland. Prior to this role Ms O’Rourke held a variety of roles with the Department of Human Services (Centrelink).

6. Francis (Frank) Lippett

Mr Lippett is currently the Acting President of the Queensland Parole Board, Southern Queensland Regional and Central and Northern Queensland Regional Parole Boards. Mr Lippett served as a police officer and detective from 1965-1974. He also served four years with the Australian Federal Police from 1974-1978. He has been a Barrister in private practice since 1979. Mr Lippett has served on parole boards and/or community corrections boards since 1990 and brings a wealth of experience to the new Parole Board Queensland. Also, Mr Lippett was the former Vice-President of the International Parole Authorities Association, gaining Canada, USA and UK experience.

7. Gregory Moroney

Mr Moroney is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland, admitted in 1976. Mr Moroney is the Chairperson of the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board (Queensland). Mr Moroney brings a strong understanding of the law and its interface with the community to the Parole Board of Queensland.

8. Gyl Stacey

Mrs Stacey is the Chief Information Officer Department of Science Innovation Technology and Innovation. Mrs Stacey played a key role in developing tools to assist front-line policing through system integration. She is a passionate advocate of disability representation and supporting reintegration of parolees with a disability.

9. Helen Watkins

Ms Watkins is currently a serving member of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council. She is also a current serving member of the Central and Northern Queensland and the Southern Queensland Regional Parole Boards. Ms Watkins has served as a community member of the Queensland Mental Health Review Tribunal from 2008 until earlier in 2017. Further, Ms Watkins is a criminologist and private psychologist specialising in forensic and clinical assessment and treatment, who has previously worked in Corrective Services Queensland.

10. Janine Wiles

Ms Wiles holds a Bachelor of Arts and is a Defence Security professional with a focus on information security and incident review. Ms Wiles has strong connections with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer community.

11. Jatinder Kaur

Ms Kaur is a mental health social worker with 15 years’ experience. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and holds a Master of Social Work. She is regarded as a multicultural child protection expert

12. Jennifer Cullen

Ms Cullen is an Adjunct Associate Professor at James Cook University. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Synapse Australia Limited (formerly Brain Injury Association of Queensland). Since 2013, Ms Cullen has played a leading role as a Council Member of the National Disability Insurance Agency Independent Advisory Council. Ms Cullen will bring a wealth of experience and understanding of Disability issues to the Parole Board Queensland.

13. Jo-Anne Fitchett

Ms Fitchett holds a Bachelor of Laws and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1983. She is the current serving Deputy President of the Central and Northern Queensland Regional Parole Board. She has strong ties to the Townsville community.

14. Jocelyn Manique

Ms Manique is a Chartered Accountant and has 22 years’ experience in audit, investment, finance and governance. She is the Deputy Chair of the Executive Committee of the Grace College Council at the University of Queensland.

15. Karl McKenzie

McKenzie is a current serving member of the Central and North Queensland Regional Parole Board and the Southern Queensland Regional Parole Board. He is also the Chair of the Townsville Community Justice Group. Dr McKenzie is a respected Aboriginal Elder with strong ties to the Townsville community.

16. Dr Kee Cheung

Dr Cheung holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Immunology. He is currently the Group Laboratory Manager for Pathology Queensland. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, Science facility. Dr Cheung has strong ties with the Chinese community. He is also well published on immunology.

17. Kerry Rees

Ms Rees holds a Bachelor of Laws (2004) and was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2006. Currently Ms Rees runs a legal office in Yungaburra Queensland. She was also employed as Principal Solicitor with the Queensland Family Violence Legal Service (Cairns, Townsville, and Mount Isa). Ms Rees has a practical knowledge of issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Prior to her legal career Ms Rees was employed as a Corrective Services Officer (1996-2005) and Probation and Parole. Also was a solicitor with Queensland Child Safety.

18. Kylie Mercer

Ms Mercer was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2001. She has over 16 years’ experience in a range of public service legal and managerial roles. Currently Ms Mercer is the Registrar of the Board of Professional Engineers. Prior to that she was the Executive Manager, Discipline and Appeals for the Queensland College of Teachers.

19. Malcolm Renouf

Mr Renouf served as a Queensland Police Officer and public servant from 1994 to 2012 holding a variety of roles from Officer-In-Charge to Holland Park Prosecution Corps and Crimestoppers. Mr Renouf has extensive experience in liaising with indigenous communities as well as multicultural communities.

20. Marj Bloor

Ms Bloor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Politics and Indigenous Studies. She is currently employed as the Chief Executive Officer with Arafmi Queensland Inc. Ms Bloor is a current member of the Queensland Carers Advisory Council.

21. Miranda Reid

Ms Reid holds a Bachelor of Social Work (2000) and has been a private practitioner since 2013. Ms Reid is a current Board Member of Teen Challenge Queensland which provides residential rehabilitation programs for people with life controlling drug addictions. Ms Reid also has relevant experience in mental health issues.

22. Nicole Cullen

Ms Cullen holds a Bachelor of Laws and was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2002. She is currently employed as a Principal and Director at McKays Solicitors at Mackay managing the Family/Domestic Violence and Criminal Law Division.

23. Peter Kelly

Mr Kelly is a Barrister of the Supreme Court of Queensland (1984). He has had 30 years’ experience as a Crown Prosecutor and Barrister in Queensland and Papua New Guinea. He specialises in criminal law and trial procedure. Mr Kelly is a current member and acting Deputy President of the Queensland Parole Board.

24. Simone Jackson

Ms Jackson is currently employed as Executive Director, Infrastructure and Coordination with the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships. In this role she is responsible for the delivery of programs and services in the Far North Queensland Region. She has extensive experience in public policy development and implementation and child protection issues.

Professional Members

1. Ms Barbara Kent (Professional Member (Legal))

Ms Barbara Kent is an experienced barrister with 29 years’ experience. She has spent the last 25 years teaching Law at Queensland University of Technology. Ms Kent has proven experience and is currently an active member of the Southern Queensland and Central and Northern Queensland Regional Parole Boards, the Mental Health Review Tribunal and the Chiropractic Board of Australia.

2. Ms Carolyn McAnally (Professional Member (Legal))

Ms Carolyn McAnally has been the Acting Director for DJAG since March 2015. Ms McAnally has 19 years’ legal experience with a combination of practical criminal law experience having worked at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution from 1999-2009, including as a Crown Prosecutor; and experience in the development and implementation of criminal law policy and legislation, having worked in Strategic Policy since 2009.

3. Ms Kylie Anderson (Professional Member (Legal))

Ms Kylie Anderson is currently the Manager, Child Death Case Review Panels Secretariat, Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services since February 2016. She has over 17 years’ experience as a legal practitioner, adviser and senior manager with government, international organisations and as a consultant.

4. Ms Beverley Russell (Professional Member (Health))

Ms Beverley Russell holds a Master of Social Science (Criminology), a Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) and specialised nursing qualifications in mental health, psychiatric and alcohol and drug areas. Ms Russell was a Member of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Review Tribunal from 2006-2011 and a Member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal from 2002-2008. Since 2009 she has been the Team Leader for the Prison Mental Health Service with the West Moreton Hospital and Health Service.