The Strategic Advisory Committee provides strategic advice to FRV on matters such as organisational governance, cultural change, workforce diversity, emerging opportunities, future direction,FRV's engagement and integration with the broader emergency management sector and flexibility.
The six Strategic Advisory Committee members bring strong and diverse experience from various areas and regions across Victoria, and each have a strong commitment to fire and rescue services, including performance and culture.
Dr David Hayward, Tasneem Chopra, Mark Dixon, Tina Hosseini, Patricia Malowney Gregory Sword and Greg Ferrington were each appointed to help to ensure FRV is best placed to deliver on the intent of the fire services reforms.
The SAC meets quarterly and plays an advisory and non-decision-making role, supporting the Commissioner to achieve the outcomes of fire service reforms.
Professor David Hayward (Chair)
Professor David Hayward is Emeritus Professor of Public Policy and the Social Economy at RMIT University. He is a former Dean of Business at Swinburne University (2004-2009), Dean of Social Science at RMIT University (2004-2016), and member of the Board of Directors of the Royal Melbourne Hospital (he Chaired the Finance Committee) (2008-2013).
He is a life member of the Victorian Council of Social Service and in 2015 was invited to become a seconded member of its governing board (resigned in June 2018). In 2013, he was elected (twice re-elected unopposed) as Chair of RMIT's Academic Board (the University's principal academic committee), retiring in December 2018, during which time he also served on University Council and its Infrastructure and Information Technology sub-committee. In October, 2020 he was appointed by Minister Neville to be Chair of Fire Rescue Victoria's Strategic Advisory Committee.
David's research interests are the funding of social policy, with a focus on the State Governments. He has published widely, most recently on the NDIS (Journal of Critical Social Policy), the Social Economy (published by VCOSS), and state and federal government elections (the Conversation).
His most recent work has been on innovation in carbon trading in East Timor (for the European Union), the funding, efficiency and effectiveness of fire services in the ACT and Victoria (for the United Firefighters Union), the impact of coronavirus government stimulus measures on poverty rates (for VCOSS), and as a Review Panel Member evaluating the University of Western Australia's postgraduate programs.
David is a regular commentator on social and economic affairs for ABC radio and The Age newspaper.
Tasneem Chopra (OAM)
A Cross-cultural Consultant, Tasneem addresses issues of diversity, equity and inclusion across organisational leadership, including intersectionality within government, corporate and community sectors.
For her efforts in cultural competence and community engagement she was acknowledged with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2020. This follows her being named an Anti-Racism Champion by the Australian Human Rights Commission in 2019.
In addition to her Consultancy, Tasneem is a Director for The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), The Crescent Institute, the South Asian Australian's Researching Ideas (SAARI) and an advisor to InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence and the La Trobe University School of Humanities. She has also enjoyed governance affiliations with Ambulance Victoria, the Luke Batty Foundation, NOW Australia, the Australian Muslim Women's Centre for Human Rights and Lentil As Anything.
A TEDxMelbourne presenter, Tasneem has featured on BBC World, Al Jazeera and ABC's Q&A, The Drum and Radio Melbourne where she is a regular panellist and sought after commentator. She is a published author and has also written for The Guardian, SBS Voices & The Age as well as several academic publications. As an international festival and conference presenter, Tasneem's most recent appearances include: the IABC World Conference (Bahrain), the Bradford Literature Festival, (UK) and The Concordia Forum, (Canada).
Tina Hosseini
Tina Hosseini is a passionate campaigner for multiculturalism, human rights, social justice and adolescent health and well-being. She is an experienced advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, current Commissioner for the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and a research fellow for the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science (Swinburne University of Technology) in the area of Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).
She was previously a Deakin University Research Fellow where she researched adolescent prevention-based projects focused on reducing problem behaviours such as drug and alcohol use, mental health issues, antisocial behaviour, family conflict, school disengagement and depressive symptomology.
She is an active member of the Iranian Women's Association, Deputy Chair of the Victorian Red Cross Board, a Board member of the City Local Learning and Employment Network, a Member of the Victorian Children's Council.
Tina holds a Master of Science (Distinction) and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne and has completed the Foundations of Directorship course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has also held leadership roles with the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia, Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre and was a previous chair of the Multicultural Youth Network.
Tricia Malowney OAM
Ms Tricia Malowney is the Chief Accessibility Advocate for the Victorian Department of Transport.
She provides an advocacy consultancy to government and non-government agencies. Tricia is a senior member of the Disability Leadership Institute and works to bring a gender lens to Disability Sector and a disability lens to mainstream services.
Tricia is a Board Director at the Urgent Action Fund for Women Asia Pacific, and is proud to be a member of the Fire Rescue Victoria Strategic Advisory Council. She is chair of the Client Advisory Committees at OCC and at Outlook Australia
Tricia was the Australian delegate to the International Conference on Population and Development in Nairobi in 2019, focusing on family planning information and services, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls. She was the Inaugural President of the Victorian Disability Services Board and held the position of Deputy Chair of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council.
In 2013, Tricia was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for services to women with disabilities and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2017 for her advocacy work on behalf of people with disabilities. In 2022 Tricia was awarded a Rodney Warmington Estate Churchill Fellowship and a Paul Harris Fellowship.
Greg Sword OAM
Greg Sword is a highly experienced industrial relations professional and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Greg's professional experience includes roles as National Secretary of the National Union of Workers, CEO LUCRF Industry Superannuation Fund, Chairman of St Vincent's Melbourne Public Hospital and Director of St Vincent's Health Australia. Greg has also served as National President of the Australian Labor Party and Senior Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
Greg is currently a Board Member of VIC Forests and Trustee Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust. Greg is Principle at Don Valley Consulting. He is also the Founding Director of the Victorian Endowment for Science Knowledge and Innovation (VESKI).
Greg was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for contribution to the Trade Union Movement and to society in general and he also received a Lifetime Recognition Award for contribution to Victorian Manufacturing Industry – Awarded by the Victorian government and the Manufacturing Industry Consultative Council.
Greg Ferrington
Greg Ferrington has over 30 years’ experience in the community services sector, including over 25 years in the neighbourhood houses sector where he has been in both managerial and governance roles. He is currently the Chairperson of the North West metro ACFE Regional Council, Vice Chair of Neighbourhood Houses Victoria and Chairperson of Glenroy Neighbourhood House. He is a facilitator in Person Centred Emergency Planning for people with a disability and has volunteered in community responses to disasters across the state of Victoria. He has extensive experience in cultural change management in the community services sector.
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