Honorary Principal Research Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies in the College of Design and Social Context, RMIT University, 2015 – present, Melbourne.
- Researching and publishing on the role of non-government organisations in
Australia’s democracy. Supporting the research and teaching of the College in various capacities.
Consumer Representative, Financial Ombudsman Service, 2004 – 2020, Melbourne.
- Sitting on cases brought by complainants against financial service providers.
Facilitator, Community Organising Fellowship, 2015-2019, Sydney and Melbourne.
- Contributing to planning and delivering annual training program for community organisers. Overseeing mentoring component of the Fellowship.
Visiting Fellow, Faculty of Law, UNSW, January 2003– 2014, Sydney-Melbourne.
- Researched and published on the topic of the democratic role of non-government organisations, and taught an occasional elective course entitled, Strategic Public Advocacy for Civil Society, at UNSW in Sydney.
Executive Director, Diplomacy Training Program, 1999– 2002, Sydney.
- Executive Director of small NGO training human rights activists throughout the Asia Pacific, established by Jose Ramos Horta.
Director, Aboriginal Programs, Wet Tropics Management Authority, 1999, Cairns.
- Promoting Aboriginal employment and Aboriginal involvement in decision-making on the Wet Tropics.
Deputy Director, Apunipima Cape York Health Council, 1996-1998, Cairns.
- Encouraging community-directed health care throughout Cape York from a community-run Aboriginal organisation.
Land Management Co-ordinator, Cape York Land Council, 1994– 1996, Cairns.
- Supervising academic consultants researching the indigenous component of the Cape York Peninsula Land Use Study (CYPLUS). Assisting in development of Cape York Peninsula Heads of Agreement (1996) between indigenous people, pastoralists and the environment movement.
Research Officer, Office of Federal Member for Leichardt, 1993-1994, Thursday Island and Cairns.
- Research for the local Federal Labor Member.
Acting Deputy Director, Torres Strait Island Co-ordinating Council, 1991-1992, Thursday Island.
- Administrative support to the Torres Strait Island Coordinating Council.
State Organiser Tasmanian Green Independents, 1987-1990, Hobart.
- Creating the organisation and helping oversee the 1989 election campain that gained the balance of power for Bob Brown and his team in Tasmania.
National Liaison Officer, Australian Conservation Foundation, 1983– 1987, Canberra.
- Lobbyist on environmental issues during the Hawke Government.
Former Ministerial Council Appointments
- Councillor on the National Consumer Affairs Advisory Council.
- Councillor on the National Women’s Consultative Council
Board Experience
- Chair, Market Forces Limited, 2020-2022.
- Vice President, Environment Victoria, and Chair of Governance Committee, 2012 – 2016.
- the Board of CHOICE, the national consumer organisation, for 8 years including as Deputy Chair and chair of their Governance Committee,
- the Board of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID)
- Chair of the Mineral Policy Institute (a small NGO addressing the negative effects of mining on communities in developing countries),
- the Board of the Australian Federation of Consumer Organisations,
- the Board of the Tasmanian Council of Social Services (TasCOSS),
- the Board of the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC),
- Chair of the NSW North Coast Environment Council.