Board
Nerolie Withnall, Chairman
Nerolie is a former partner of Minter Ellison solicitors. She is a Director with Campbell Brothers Group, Pan Australian Resources, Achemia, the Major Sports Facilities Authority, Chairman of QM Technologies, and a member of the University of Queensland Senate. Nerolie is a member of the Takeovers Panel, the Australian National Maritime Museum and National Seniors Foundation, as well as former Chairman of Queensland Museum Board and Brisbane Transport.
"The Brisbane Institute provides a dynamic forum for all of us to hear and exchange views on a wide range of issues, in a civilised and often very entertaining climate."
John Hay,AC, Deputy Chairman
Professor John Hay, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland since January 1996, has extensive experience in Australian universities in academic, administrative and leadership roles, especially in the management of strategic change. Educated at the University of Western Australia and Cambridge University, Professor Hay has published widely and edited an internationally refereed journal of language and literature and is general editor of the on-going Bibliography of Australian Literature project. His university roles have included: Professor of English and Head of Department at the University of Western Australia; Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Monash University (1989-91); and Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University (1992-95). He is chair of the Australian Government's Committee for University Teaching and Staff Development. He is the only Australian Vice-Chancellor to have received on behalf of his university two Australian University of the Year awards - in 1998 for the University of Queensland and in 1995 for Deakin University. In the 2004 Order of Australia honours John was appointed Companion for his 'service to advancing higher education in Australia, including contributions to research and innovation policies and funding, and at the University of Queensland through significant development of academic and administrative structures'.
"The University of Queensland is proud to be the Brisbane Institute's primary sponsor and to host its meetings at our historic Customs House. The Institute challenges us all to generate ideas rather than simply observe matters of historical, present and future concern."
Kay Saunders AM, Executive Director
Trained in political science and Anthropology, Kay Saunders AM was professor of History and Senator of the University of Queensland from 2002-06. Serving on the Council of the Australian War Memorial, she was Chairman of the Official History to Australia at War Committee. Professor Saunders was appointed to the council of the National Maritime Museum of Australia and was director of the National Australia Day Council. She servied as chair of the Queensland government's Cultural Advisory Council and was a member of the Premier's Advisory Council on women's Policy. She is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Austrlaia, the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, the Royal Historical Society (London) and the Royal Anthropological Institute. In 2001 she received the Medal of the National Museum of Australia and in 2006 was the recipient of the John Kerr Medal from the Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Her most recent books include A Crowning Achievement: A Study of Australian Beauty, Business and Charitable Enterprise (2005) and Between the Covers: Revealing the State Library of Queensland's Collection (2006)
Philip Bacon AM, Director
Philip established Philip Bacon Galleries Pty Ltd, Brisbane in 1974. He is a board member of Opera Australia, a member of the Council of the National Gallery of Australia and of the Council of Advice of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Philip has been a consultant or board member for many significant cultural events in Brisbane since the late 1980's including the Brisbane Festival, the Brisbane Biennial International Music Festival and Expo 1988. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 'honoris causa' by the University of Queensland in 1999, and an Honorary Doctorate from QUT in early 2006.
"The Brisbane Institute in its short life has become a focus for debate and dialogue in Brisbane, an is already one of Australia's leading public affairs forums. I look forward with pleasure to an on-going association with this dynamic and important institute."
Jude Munro, Director
Jude Munro was appointed CEO of the Brisbne city Council in 2000. Jude was formerly CEO of the City of Adelaide, interim CEO of the new city of Moreland in Victoria and also CEO of the former City of St Kilda.
Prior to joining local government in 1991, Jude was a senior executive in the Victorian Public Service for a six year period. She holds post-graduate business administration and public policy qualifications from the University of Melbourne and the Swinburne University respectively.
Jude is Queensland President of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a Director of Australia TradeCoast, the City of Brisbane Airport Corporation, Internatonal Riverfoundation and United Way Queensland. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Institute of Management and Local Government Mangers Australia.
Jude is also a former Board member of the Brisbane Riverfestival, 7th Australian Masters Games, Adelaide City Marketing and Adelaide Convention and Tourism.
"The Brisbane Institute provides a dynamic forum for all of us to hear and exchange views on a wide range of issues, in a civilised and often very entertaining climate."
Paul Spiro, Director
Paul Spiro is the Managing Partner of Gadens Lawyers Brisbane. Paul is an expert in the field of property law and is partner-in-charge of Brisbane’s Property and Projects Group where he works primarily in the areas of property development and transport infrastructure. Paul's major clients include Multiplex, Hamilton Island Enterprises and Queensland Rail. He also acts for a number of national and international investors including a number of Asian corporations. Paul is an active member of the Property Council of Australia, the Urban Development Institute of Australia and the Law Council of Australia General Practice Section.
"The Brisbane Institute is an excellent ideas forum. I believe it is imperative for everyone engaged in business to 'think outside the square' occasionally and be aware of the issues affecting the state and our future social, cultural and economic development."
Jim McKnoulty, Director
Jim McKnoulty is Chairman of Conics Limited, a group of consultancies assisting industry and government to meet the challenges of growth management throughout Eastern Australia. Jim specialises in creative partnerships between the development industry and local authorities to produce more sustainable developments which are economically viable and socially cohesive. He offers high level political and strategic advice to clients and enjoys excellent working relationships with the Lord Mayor of Brisbane and the Mayors of South East Queensland Councils. Jim is the Founding President of the Australian Green Development Forum and National President of Greening Australia. In 2007, Jim’s contribution and commitment to business sustainability was recognised through the Premier’s Award for Leadership in Business Sustainability at the Environmental Protection Agency Awards and Ernst and Young’s Queensland Entrepreneur of the Year in the Business Services Category.
James Moody, Director
James Moody is currently the General Manager, International Development for the national research organisation CSIRO. In this role he is responsible for fostering CSIRO's global development agenda, including access to overseas talent, creating research projects of international significance and helping Australia gain access to foreign knowledge, infrastructure and intellectual property.
James holds a number of other prominent government roles, including membership of the Australian Government's Bureau of Meteorology advisory board and the Bureau of Statistics advisory council. He is a member of the board of the National Australia Day Council. In the last five years he has been heavily involved with the United Nations, and was a member and executive secretary of the taskforce on Science and Technology for the Millennium Development Goals. He has also worked with the United Nations Environment Programme and was selected by the World Economic Forum as one of their Young Global Leaders. In 2000, he was named Young Professional Engineer of the Year and was also awarded Young Australian of the Year in Science and Technology.
Rachel Nolan, Director
Rachel Nolan was born in Ipswich in 1974 and, when elected to the State Parliament in February 2001, became Queensland’s youngest ever female MP. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) majoring in government and is presently studying for a Bachelor of Economics at UQ. She was appointed Deputy Government Whip in March 2004. Rachel studied community development in India with Community Aid Abroad and prior to entering Parliament worked as a Political Advisor to the Northern Territory’s then Leader of the Opposition Clare Martin, and the Queensland Labor Government. Her policy interest areas include: energy security; the environment; and sustainable urban design. In 2006 Rachel was name University of Queensland Young Alumnus of the Year. She is a member of the Parliamentary Amnesty Group, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the UQ Ipswich Strategic Advisory Group. Rachel has recently co-founded the Ipswich Women’s Development Fund which has established the Heather Bonner Scholarship to assist a young woman to go to University of Queensland, Ipswich.
