PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFING

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Zali Steggall OAM is an independent MP who won the once-safe Liberal seat of Warringah from former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2019 and 2022 on a platform of climate action, integrity, and doing politics differently. She is Australia’s most successful Alpine skier and a barrister with extensive business and leadership experience. Zali represented Australia at four Winter Olympics, winning a bronze medal in slalom at the 1998 Games in Nagano. She also became World Champion in 1999. As a Barrister, Zali specialised in commercial, family and sports law, attending a fifth Olympics in 2018 in Pyeongchang where she adjudicated on sports doping allegations through the International Court of Arbitration for Sport. Zali has extensive business and leadership experience at board level and has had a strong focus on gender equity throughout all those appointments. 

The Hon Chris Bowen is Minister for Climate Change and Energy. He is also the Federal Member for McMahon, NSW. Chris grew up in Smithfield in Western Sydney, attending Smithfield Public School and St Johns Park High School. He graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics. He has also a Master’s Degree in International Relations and a Diploma in Modern Languages (Bahasa Indonesia). He joined the Labor Party in 1988 and was elected to Fairfield Council in 1995, serving as Mayor of Fairfield for 1998 and 1999. He also served as President of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils from 2000 to 2002. Chris entered the Federal Parliament in 2004 and has held a wide range of portfolios including serving as Treasurer, Minister for Human Services, Minister for Immigration, and Minister for Small Business. Chris lives in Smithfield with his wife Rebecca, children Grace and Max and his labradors Ollie and Toby and is a keen supporter of the GWS Giants. 

Jas is Chair and a Co-Founder of Ocean Decade Australia. Jas is committed to learning and sharing knowledge about the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular SDG14 – Life below Water. She has worked in Australian higher education and government in senior leadership roles across STEM operations and organisational transformation, communications, and international science diplomacy including with United Nations Specialized Agencies and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, representing Australia. Jas asis a graduate of marine science, psychology and communications. She is the Director of Provenance Consulting and serves on the board Science & Technology Australia, the Sydney Institute for Marine Science Foundation, and the Grok Academy. 

Lucy Buxton works across scientific research, strategy and external engagement. As a researcher she held positions at several international marine research facilities and worked in areas spanning marine toxicology, coral biology, fisheries and science policy. She has contributed to large scale international research initiatives exploring the linkages between ocean health and human health that have led to improvements in natural resource management, early public health intervention and environmental protection policies. Lucy has worked in professional leadership roles in the Australian higher education sector for 15 years leading science engagement, research strategy, international partnerships, innovation and business development. A passionate communicator and collaborator, Lucy regularly works with the public and private sectors to increase scientific understanding, stakeholder engagement and implementation of sustainable practices industry and government. She contributes to several boards in the education and not for profit sector. 

Erin Coldham is the Chief Development Officer at Southerly Ten - managing Star of the South – Australia’s most advanced offshore wind project. Erin brings decades of experience in major project planning and delivery and currently oversees Star of the South’s planning and development activities, working with industry, regulators, policy-makers and local communities to bring offshore wind to regional Gippsland and the State of Victoria. Erin is part of a global team of offshore wind specialists representing 30 nationalities across the world, delivering for one of the world’s largest green energy fund managers, Southerly Ten. Included in A Word About Wind’s Top 100 Women’s Power List, Erin is a champion for diversity in the energy industry and is driven by the positive opportunities offshore wind represents for Australia.

 Dr Michelle Heupel is Executive Director of Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing system (IMOS). She is a research scientist with over 25 years’ experience working on ecology, conservation and management of marine predators, predominantly sharks and fish. Her career has spanned a range of sectors in marine science (university, public funded research agency, private non-profit research laboratory, joint ventures). In 2022 she was invited to address the twenty-second meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, at United Nations Headquarters in New York and is Vice-Chair of the Global Regional Alliance of the Global Ocean Observing System. Dr Heupel is a current member of the UN Ocean Decade Advisory Board and is considered a national and international leader in the application of ocean data to support policy and decision-making. 

Matthew is the General Manager of Sustainability at Huon Aquaculture, a leading producer of premium Atlantic salmon in Tasmania. With a degree in Marine, Antarctic, and Freshwater Ecology from the University of Tasmania, Matthew transitioned from research and consulting roles to the aquaculture industry in 2014. His current role involves leading a comprehensive sustainability strategy, with a focus on decarbonisation and circular economies, while also overseeing environmental compliance and directing Huon's innovative R&D initiatives. In addition to his role at Huon, Matthew actively contributes to the industry as he represents the company on the Salmon Tasmania Technical Advisory Group. He also leads key projects with the Blue Economy CRC and serves as a Director and Treasurer at Seafood and Maritime Training, a non-profit Registered Training Organisation. Matthew's multifaceted expertise spans operational, technical, and managerial realms, with a major focus in developing offshore operations for both Atlantic salmon and yellowtail kingfish. 

Dr. Tony Worby was appointed as the inaugural Chief Scientist at Minderoo Foundation in November 2023. Prior to that he held the role of Executive Director, Oceans at Minderoo, with responsibility for the Foundation’s portfolio of environmental work across oceans, plastics, and climate. Before moving to the philanthropic sector Tony was Director of the Oceans & Atmosphere Division at CSIRO where he led a team of 600+ scientists and technical staff. Before that he was CEO of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (2014-11), Deputy Chief Marine at CSIRO (2011-14), and Program Leader for the Australian Antarctic Division’s Ice, Oceans, Atmosphere and Climate research program (2009-11) 

Kristy is the inaugural CEO of ASFI. Established following the collaborative effort to develop the Australian Sustainable Finance Roadmap, ASFI works to create a financial system in Australia that can support a sustainable, resilient and prosperous future for all Australians. By working across the finance sector, with government, regulators, research institutions and peak bodies, ASFI is at the forefront of sustainable finance in Australia, driving implementation of the Australian Sustainable Finance Roadmap. With a background in sustainable finance and social impact investing across the public and private sectors, prior to ASFI Kristy led the Australian Government’s work with private and institutional investors to mobilise capital for climate and social impact in Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. In this role she established the Australian Government’s first impact investment fund, designed to build sustainable and inclusive financial markets in Southeast Asia. She was also a special advisor on the Prime Minister’s Social Impact Investing Taskforce in 2020. She has previously worked in Australia, Latin America, the UK and in global roles for large and small organisations, driving global progress on sustainability issues..