Members' biographies
View the SRCC Members' biographies below.
Peter Henneken - Chairperson, Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission
Peter Henneken brings a wealth of experience in workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety to the SRCC. He has previously been a member of the Queensland Workers’ Compensation Regulatory Authority, WorkCover Queensland, the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) and the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC).
Peter was appointed as a member of the QSuper Board in December 2007. He is currently the Chair of the Building and Construction Industry (Portable Long Service Leave) Board.
He was a long time Director General of the Queensland Department of Employment and Industrial relations. Most recently, Peter served as Director General of the Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.
He has a long interest in the labour market and its impact on the lives of working people, and has worked in all areas of labour market policy and regulation including industrial relations, workplace health and safety, employment and vocational education and training.
Paul O'Connor - Chief Executive Officer of Comcare
Paul brings to Comcare an impressive record in safety promotion, risk management, insurance and reinsurance in Australia and overseas. Paul has worked across both the public and private sectors – he was based in Sydney and Melbourne before emigrating to the United States to live in Washington, DC. He also lived in London and Singapore.
Paul returned to Australia to work in senior leadership roles in accident compensation, firstly with WorkCover Queensland. Most recently, Paul served as the CEO of Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission.
As Comcare's new CEO, Paul brings energy and 22 years insight and experience to the Comcare scheme community. He is passionate about the need to improve workplace health and safety and helping people return to health, work and independence following injury. Paul’s training was in labour studies and law, graduating from QUT, SACAE, the University of Sydney and the University of Adelaide
Sue Powell - Industrial Officer, CPSU - Member nominated by the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Sue Powell has worked for the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) as an Industrial Officer for nearly 20 years, mainly negotiating wages and conditions of employment for members and staff who work in the Australian Public Service. She currently has responsibility for OHS issues for CPSU members and her main functions are to provide expert advice on such issues and prepare CPSU submissions to Senate Committees and Enquiries on OHS, model legislation and workers’ compensation. Sue also develops training material for CPSU staff and members and participates in the ACTU OHS and workers’ compensation committees.
Since May 2008 Sue has been a Commissioner on the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission representing the interests of working people.
Burt Blackburne - Divisional Assistant Secretary, CEPU - Member nominated by the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Burt has had over 40 years of experience as part of the Telecommunications and Teaching industries. He has held both union and management positions within the Telstra Training Centres which included responsibility for Occupational Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation matters.
He holds a Diploma of Technical Teaching from Melbourne University and various Occupational Health and Safety and specific Telecommunications / Electrical Safety qualifications.
Burt sits on the board of the Workers Occupational Health Centre Victoria and is a member of the Central Bayside Community Health Centre.
Michelle Baxter - General Manager, Safety and Entitlements, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations - Member representing the Commonwealth, and Commonwealth authorities other than licensed authorities
Michelle is the Group Manager, Safety and Entitlements Group, DEEWR and has responsibility for managing the Commonwealth's safety and compensation policy. Michelle has worked in the Australian Public Service since 1989 and has held varied positions including working as a solicitor for both the ACT and Australian Government Solicitors where she was responsible for conducting a range of types of litigation including managing personal injury claims, tax appeals matters and insolvency cases. Michelle has also worked as an in-house lawyer in several Commonwealth agencies and has managed agency Corporate areas.
Michelle has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University and is admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor in the ACT.
Air Marshal Mark Binskin AO, Vice Chief of the Defence Force - Member representing the interests of members and former members of the Defence Force
Air Marshal Mark Binskin joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1984 after an initial period of service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). He has over 3,500 hours in single-seat fighter aircraft and his command appointments include Commanding Officer of No 77 Squadron, Commander of Air Combat Group, Air Commander Australia and Chief of the Air Force.
Air Marshal Binskin has served in various staff positions including Director General Capability Planning in Air Force Headquarters and Officer Commanding the Airborne Early Warning and Control System Program Office in the Defence Materiel Organisation. During Australia's 2003 contribution to the war in Iraq, Air Marshal Binskin served as Chief of Staff at Headquarters Australian Theatre. Following this, he served as the Director of the US Central Air Force Combined Air and Space Operations Centre in the Middle East where he was responsible for the conduct of Coalition air operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (ADF Operations Catalyst and Slipper). For this service he was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service.
Air Marshal Binskin is an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO). He has also been recognised by the Republic of Korea with the Order of National Security Merit, Gukseon Medal; and the Republic of Singapore with the Meritorious Service Medal (Military).
Air Marshal Binskin is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program, Australian Institute of Company Directors and RAAF Command and Staff Course.
He is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Defence Force, and was appointed to the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission on 14 September 2011.
Steve Somogyi - Vice President Resources and Chief Operating Officer, RMIT University - Member with qualifications or experience relevant to the SRCC's functions, or the exercise of its powers
Steve has had extensive experience in the financial services and health care industries, including 27 years with National Mutual involving roles as Chief Manager for New Zealand, Associate Director-Operations and Chief Finance Executive. Steve was a Member of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority from July 2003 to June 2006.
Steve holds a Master of Science from the University of Melbourne in Physics and a Master of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Management. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries in the UK and in Australia. Steve is a Commissioner on the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission, a Director of ING Australia, Guild Group, VERNet, and RMIT Foundation.
Professor Niki Ellis - Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Queensland - Member with qualifications or experience relevant to the Commission’s functions, or the exercise of its powers
Niki Ellis is one of Australia’s leading occupational physicians and an expert in the management of workplace stress. She was the inaugural president of the Australian Faculty of Occupational Medicine from 1992–1994. She has previously served as Director, Health Risk Management for PricewaterhouseCoopers; developed and run her own public and occupational health consultancy; been the Head, Preventive Strategies Branch, Director, RSI National Strategy, National Occupational Health and Safety Commission; and medical officer Tasmanian Division of Public Health. She was a member of the World Health Organsiation’s Expert Panel on occupational health. Oxford University Press commissioned her to write a text book on work and health.
Niki has worked in London on health workforce innovation for London South Bank University and other aspects of health modernisation for the Department of Health from 2002-2005. She also had an honorary appointment at the Welcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine. She was the Foundation Professor and Director of the Centre for Military and Veterans' Health at the University of Queensland from 2005-2009 and became a Commissioner on the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission in October 2008. She is now working on developing a new organisation, the Australian Health Workforce Institute.
Mr. Rex Hoy - Chief Executive Officer - Safe Work Australia
Rex has over 40 years experience in the Australian Public Service and has held various Senior Executive positions in several departments and agencies. This included working as a Group Manager in Workplace Relations Policy in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. This area dealt with policy for Commonwealth occupational health and safety and workers' compensation.
Prior to his current position Rex worked for four years as a Deputy Secretary for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in its counterpart department in Papua New Guinea under the Australia-PNG Enhanced Cooperation Program.
Rex has a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics from the University of New England.
Dominic Andreacchio – General Manager, Human Resources, Australian air Express Member representing the licensees
Dominic joined Australian air Express in 1999, and has since accomplished a long and distinguished career in Human Resource Management
His previous executive role at Lane’s Biscuits included the implementation of widespread organisational change for human resources and industrial relations. Dominic’s other roles included National Training and Development Manager and Human Resource Manager at Smorgan ARC, where he was instrumental in applying best practice change management.
Dominic has completed a number of ministerial appointments in Federal government labour market programmes and holds various board positions. He is the immediate past chairman of Kangan Institute; a current Director on the Board of Kangan Institue; and President of the Victorian TAFE Association.
He holds a Masters in Business Management, Post Graduate Degree in Business Human Resources Management, Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management, and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI).
Dominic was elected by licensees to represent their views, and appointed to the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission on 14 September 2011.
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