Gambling Community Benefit Committee members

The Gambling Community Benefit Committee provides advice about distributing Gambling Community Benefit Fund (GCBF) grants to community organisations. This independent committee includes representatives with relevant experience, knowledge and skills, and also reflects the diversity of the Queensland community.

Chairperson

Alan Sparks AM, BEM

Alan Sparks served in the defence force for 27 years before becoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of East Coast Apprenticeships, one of Queensland’s largest group training organisations for the last 20 years.

Alan has extensive experience in project management, human resources and training analysis and delivery. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his leadership and contribution to training in defence. As a voluntary member of St John Ambulance, he was awarded the British Empire Medal for gallantry during rescue operations at the Westgate Bridge disaster in Victoria.

Alan has developed and implemented a range of program initiatives to help the disadvantaged, disabled and distressed. His efforts with the National Apprenticeships Program and the Defence Trade Program involve a unique Advanced Entry Adult Apprenticeship Scheme to upskill Australians and support the transition of veterans into a trade career.

In 2016, Alan became an inaugural member of the Jobs Queensland Board.

Committee members

Phillip Bell

Phillip Bell is the President of the Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Senior Manager—Branch Banking with Bendigo Bank. Phillip has previously held senior and executive leadership roles in various sectors including:

• education (Executive Director—Finance and Corporate Services, TAFE Queensland South West)
• transport (Director—Financial Operations and Compliance, TransLink)
• health (CEO, Ipswich Hospital Foundation)
• financial and corporate regulation (senior executive roles with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Australian Taxation Office)
• law enforcement (serving with the Queensland Police Service in the Fraud Squad, Drug Squad and Proceeds-of-Crime Taskforce).

Phillip is a proud Ipswich local and he and his wife are directors of a family-owned company with pastoral and agribusiness advisory interests in the Rosewood area. He also has interests in the harness racing industry as an owner and trainer and has previously served as treasurer of the Marburg Pacing Association.

Tony Condon

Tony Condon is the owner of the Currumbin Creek Tavern. He has worked with various community organisations and has 40 years’ experience in the hotel industry.

Tony is currently a member of the Australian Hotels Association Board and sits on the Independent Brands Australia National Board. He is also Chair of the Queensland Hotels Association (QHA) Gold Coast Division, Secretary/Treasurer of QHA's Queensland Board, and is a member of the Australian Liquor Marketers Board.

Andrew Costello

Andrew Costello is the Executive Manager—Human Resources for Casinos Austria International / Accor Asia Pacific. He has 27 years’ experience in the human resources sector, which includes hospitality, retail and not-for-profit organisations. Andrew is also an active member of the Reef Hotel Casino's executive leadership team and was a committee member of the Reef Hotel Casino Community Benefit Fund.

Ann Roebuck

Ann Roebuck has 36 years’ experience as a journalist across a range of regional Queensland newspapers.

Her career highlights include:

• editing the Gladstone Observer newspaper at age 34
• being appointed Deputy Editor of the Townsville Bulletin in 2004 and then Managing Editor in 2010
• becoming Managing Editor of the Townsville Bulletin in 2004 and 2010 respectively
• from 2013, managing the editorial operations of News Corporation’s 2 North Queensland papers—the Townsville Bulletin and the Cairns Post—as well as a stable of 10 regional non-dailies between Port Douglas and Bowen.

She has also worked in Mackay.

Ann retired from journalism in late 2016.

Ann has served as Chair of the Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts Board for the past 4 years and is Secretary of the Townsville Multicultural Support Group (TMSG) management committee. She is also Secretary of the Good Shepherd Home’s Board of Benefactors.

Georgia Stafford

Georgia Stafford has the lead intergovernmental relations role at the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), advocating on behalf of—and supporting—local government and councils in Queensland. Georgia's role focuses on rural and remote areas in Queensland. Before this, she worked as an associate solicitor in South East Queensland.

Georgia is an active member of the local community and is currently the secretary of such diverse organisations as the Downs and South Western Queensland Law Association, South Toowoomba Apex Club, and Toowoomba Community Care Transport Inc. She is also the co-founder of Toowoomba Young Professionals and a foster carer for the RSPCA. Georgia has a rural background, having grown up on a property in Millmerran.

Throughout her studies and career, Georgia has dedicated much of her free time to local volunteer organisations, and in 2016 was awarded the Toowoomba Young Citizen of the Year Award.

Julie Strudwick

Julie Strudwick has more than 25 years’ experience in the clubs industry. She also has more than 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry.

Julie has held many positions during this time, including:

• General Manager, Moreton Bay Boat Club
• Manager, Keppel Bay Sailing Club
• Manager, Yeppoon Bowling Club
• Board Member, Clubs Queensland
• Chair, Clubs Queensland (Sunshine Coast zone).

Julie’s years of involvement with sporting groups, clubs, community groups and charities have been very rewarding and given her insight into the needs of these organisations. She is currently General Manager of the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club.

Gail Ker OAM

Gail Ker (OAM, DUni) is currently Head of Settlement and Community Capacity Building with the Social Policy Group.

Over the past 25 years, Gail has developed vast industry experience and, arguably, unrivalled expertise in the Australian multicultural, humanitarian and community sectors, which has seen her change countless lives for the better. Her often-quoted mantra is 'every client counts'.

An award-winning visionary, Gail was previously the long-serving CEO of Access Community Services Ltd where, with humility, compassion and a tireless work ethic, she led up to 300 staff in pursuit of their organisational vision: to create social, cultural and economic experiences and opportunities that transform the lives of individuals and communities globally.

Renowned for her expertise in innovative service solutions for newly arrived migrants and humanitarian entrants, Gail is a recognised thought leader in needs-based community planning, innovative business models, social cohesion, strategic partnerships, employment pathways, funding opportunities and strategic direction. Under her tutelage and leadership, Access grew from a 1-room youth employment service in Logan City into one of Australia's leading organisations in the provision of settlement, employment, training, youth support, housing and social enterprise services for migrants, refugees, and Australian-born clients.

Informed and working at the cutting edge of policy and sector engagement, Gail's knowledge is actively sought by politicians, industry leaders and research bodies alike, both nationally and internationally. From 2007 to 2014, she attended the UNHCR's annual consultations with NGOs in Geneva. Gail has been recognised with multiple honours and holds several prestigious board appointments, including Seqwater Board, the Logan City Charitable Trust, Public Transport Fares Advisory Panel and the Griffith University Logan Campus Advisory Board.

Petina Tieman

Petina Tieman is a multiple award-winning Indigenous business leader. She is widely recognised for her specialist work in building skills, capability and capacity in remote communities and regional Indigenous start-ups and corporations, as well as empowering women in leadership and driving small business growth for clients.

With a diverse career history and a lifetime of adversity, Petina lives through her passion to support marginalised groups and small business owners with limited access to resources. She has personally mentored and provided business support across all areas to more than 300 businesses a year. Key strengths include funding, marketing, conceptualisation, resourcing, project management, disaster management and recovery.

Petina also volunteers 10 to 15 hours a week, providing pro-bono mentoring and directorship services across the nation.

Petina currently owns and operates Complete Business Solutions (QLD) Pty Ltd, iiHub Ltd, Entrepreneurs and Small Business Indigenous Corporation, and Holiday Letting Cairns Pty Ltd.

Embedded in all of Petina’s businesses is her core focus to build skills, capability and capacity in others through education, empowerment, connectivity and collaboration.