GOVERNANCE
HOW WE ARE GOVERNED
The Drug Awareness & Relief Foundation (Australia) is incorporated by Letters Patent under the provisions of the 'Religious, Educational and Charitable Institutions Act 1861-1967'.
Drug Awareness & Relief Foundation (Australia) Board
Our organisation is governed by a Board of Directors who are are appointed either by election at a General Meeting of Members, or by resolution of the Board to fill a casual vacancy. The Board may also appoint suitably qualified persons to fill a short term Director appointment for a specific need. All Directors agree to the Director expectations statement when appointed
The Board of the Drug Awareness & Relief Foundation (Australia) meets monthly to oversee the organisation and plan the future direction for the Foundation.
The Board has developed Charters for its own operation as well as for each of the subsidiary Boards and Board committees. These charters set out the Board oversight responsibilities that includes the working relationship with the Executive Director, strategic direction, operational and executive policy, risk management and monitoring and accountability including performance management of both the Board and senior management.
Meet the Board
Mr Harold Peacock, Chair
BA, GDipAppFinInv, MAICD
Harold is a consultant in the accounting and advisory channel who specialises in private equity capital raising, revenue growth, and process improvement. This comes after 20 years inside the biggest technology companies in Australia, creating sales strategies and leading teams focused on success.
He is a multi-award winner in communications, revenue growth, and management. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (double major in journalism and a major in government), a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment, is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has been a long-term judge of the Telstra Business and Business Women’s Awards.
Mr Peter Henderson OAM, Treasurer
BBus, Grad Dip Mgt, Grad Dip App Fin & Inv, FFIN, FCPA
Peter has been involved with the Foundation for over 35 years, having served various positions including Chairman and Treasurer on the Drug Awareness and Relief Foundation (Australia) Board.
Mr Henderson is a current director of the Australian Rechabite Foundation and the Chairman of Acacia Ridge Financial Services Ltd. He has over 50 years’ experience working with non-government organisations.
Mr Ken Walker, Vice Chair
BCom, CPA, CTA
Mr Ken Walker has over 30 years of experience with the Australian Taxation Office prior to retirement in 2013. He held a variety of senior professional and leadership positions including audit, advice, litigation and law development. Since leaving the ATO, Ken continues to work in his family business.
Mr Walker has held a number of institutional roles within the SeventhDay Adventist Church including as a member of the School Board of Brisbane Adventist College and its constituent schools for 16 years and as a member of the South Queensland Conference Executive Committee for 6 years. He has a longstanding commitment to community service.
Rev Graeme McKay, Director
BA Theology, MA Religious Studies, Dip Missiology
As an ordained Minister Rev Graeme McKay has provided leadership in two Churches, one near Glasgow in Scotland and one in Toowoomba, from 1993-2013.
Rev McKay is also former Moderator for the Presbyterian Church of Queensland and is currently Senior Chaplain with PresCare, the caring arm of the Presbyterian Church in Queensland
Dr Rama Spencer, Director
MBBS, FRCGP
Dr Rama Spencer is a General Practitioner who has worked in the Ipswich region for 26 years. She is a graduate of the University of Queensland, holds a Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners and post graduate qualifications in skin care.
With a passion for holistic medical care, Dr Spencer works as part of a specialist team at the Limestone Medical Centre in Ipswich. At the Centre, Dr Spencer deals with complex mental health trauma, adolescent health and wellbeing, a myriad of general health issues as well as offering mentoring to the next generation of doctors. Increasingly her work is based on patient advocacy, and over the last 3 years she has helped establish ‘Our House, Our Haven’ - a nurse led Trauma Centre that has already delivered to over 300 clients with many positive outcomes. This Centre aims to prevent disadvantaged individuals from falling through the gaps, thus reducing the economic, societal and personal harm.
Dr Spencer has been involved in the sector as a volunteer for Drug ARM, Teen Challenge and other youth work as well as extensive experience as a speaker in schools, churches and delivering training in the community. Dr Spencer has developed her own specialist course on trauma and mental health conditions for staff and volunteers in the community health sector.
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Dr Kevin Lambkin, Director
BSc (Hons), PhD, GradDip Public Sector Management
Dr Kevin Lambkin is an honours science graduate of the University of Queensland and has a Ph.D. from the University of Sydney as well as a graduate diploma in public sector management from Griffith University. A career Queensland public servant for 31 years, he served in both the parliamentary and executive arms of the service, including as research director of inaugural Queensland parliamentary public accounts committee. Dr Lambkin joined Queensland Health in 1994 and made significant contributions to health policies and programs including the design and introduction of drug diversion and drug court programs, the expansion of the needle and syringe program, the modernisation of tobacco control legislation, and preventative health campaigns and programs.
Dr Lambkin retired from the public service in September 2012 as Executive Director, Preventative Health. At a community level, Dr Lambkin is a founder, past president and current board member of the Caxton Legal Centre, a member of the Drug ARM National Policy Council, and an Honorary Research Fellow of the Queensland Museum.
Rev David Baker, Director
David is currently serving as General Secretary of Queensland Churches Together. QCT is the main ecumenical body for the churches in Queensland.
He previously served two terms as Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod. a second term as moderator of the Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church.
He experienced the church’s ministry from a young age through the Methodist tradition.
David worked as a property valuer in rural and regional Queensland before completing theological training and ordination in 1991. He served in rural Queensland, and in a successful church planting venture in Karana Downs, before serving as a Presbytery Minister.
David holds a Diploma in Business Management from Queensland Agricultural College, a Bachelor of Theology from Brisbane College of Theology, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
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Mr Tony Markwell
B.Bus, MBA, CPA, FCA, MAICD
Mr Tony Markwell is the Managing Partner for Grant Thornton in Brisbane and National Managing Partner for Grant Thornton’s Private Advisory Service line across Australia.
Tony is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Tony has previously served as a School Council Member for the St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School and as a Member of the School Finance and Remuneration & Nominations Committee.
Ms Leonie Short
Cert DT, Dip Clin Hyp, BA (UOW), MHP (UNSW) AFCHSM CHM
Leonie has been awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree (Wollongong), a Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy and a Master of Health Planning (NSW) and is a registered dental practitioner – dental therapist – with the Dental Board of Australia. She has worked at five universities and has helped establish Australia’s first dual-skilled Bachelor of Oral Health degree at the University of Queensland in 1998, Australia’s first new dental school for 57 years at Griffith University in 2004 and the Bachelor of Oral Health degree at CQUniversity in 2012.
Leonie was the 56th woman to be elected to the House of Representatives in the 39th Parliament of Australia in 2001, the first dental therapist to be appointed to the Australian Dental Council in 2004 and was the first dental therapist to become a member of the Australasian Council of Dental Schools in 2012.
Leonie is one of the two representatives for Australia on the World Federation of Public Health Associations Oral Health Working Group. Leonie is keen to progress the oral health therapy profession in terms of research, knowledge and skill development.
Hon John Mickel
The Hon. John Mickel is a former Speaker of the Queensland Legislative Assembly and Minister for multiple portfolios in successive State Governments. During his time in Parliament between 1998 and 2012, John was Minister in the in a series of portfolios, including State Development, Energy, Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations, and the Environment. In 2009, after the re-election of the Bligh Government, he was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In 2013, John was appointed by the then-Treasurer and Minister for Trade, the Hon. Tim Nicholls MP, to review the role of Trade and Investment in Queensland, John also chaired a review instigated by the Palaszczuk Government into retail trading hours. In addition to his current role at Rowland, John is also an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Faculty of Law at the Queensland University of Technology and is a regular political commentator on radio and television.
Dr Dennis Young AM, Company Secretary
B.Bus, MBA, Grad Dip FET, DHSM, FAIM, AFCHSE, MAICD
Dr Dennis Young AM has over 40 years of experience with non-government organisations. He is currently the Company Secretary/Chief Advocate after serving for 30 years as the Executive Director (ED) of Drug Awareness and Relief Foundation (Australia).
He also served for 30 years as the ED of Drug ARM and ED Mental Health Association (Queensland) Ltd and the Australian College of Community Services Ltd., for 7 years. Dr Young is a Fellow in the Institute of Managers and Leaders, Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Road Safety and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Dr Young has previously served on the following organisations; Member of the Australian National Council on Drugs; Former Member and Chairman of ‘Of Substance’ Management Committee; Director of the Community Council of Australia, Former Director/Chairman Queensland Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies, Director for Creche & Kindergarten Association Queensland; the Queensland Police Citizens Youth Welfare Association.
Mr Bradley Strong, Executive Director and Superintendent
BEc, Dip Training
Mr Bradley Strong has many years experience working with nongovernment organisations. Mr Strong worked for the Salvation Army for 15 years and managed the Riverview Farm which is a centre for providing training for the long term unemployed.
He has worked in the mental health sector for a number of years and previously served as Operations Manager, Foundation Manager and Company Secretary for an Independent Indigenous School at Springfield, QLD. Mr Strong has also served in the Australian Army, and has been involved in Rotary Internation and the Bundamba ANZAC Observance Committee for the past 20 years.
Corporate Governance Framework
The Foundation has a well-defined corporate governance system that provides the broad framework through which the organisation operates, is regulated and controlled. This framework is a critical factor in the overall success of the group. The corporate governance framework focuses on the need for continuous improvement practices across the group.
The Corporate Governance framework contains some the following elements:
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Board practices
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Charters for the Board and Board Committees
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Definition of our ethical practice
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Clearly sets our specific office bearer codes of conduct
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Clarification of conflict of interests
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Financial and operational reporting guidelines
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Guidelines for building confidence and maintaining positive relationships with our clients, consumers, stakeholders and staff.
ANNUAL REPORTS
STORIES
Read stories of lives changed by the support of the Drug Awareness & Relief Foundation (Australia).