One-day Conference: Brisbane, July 2023

Chris Stevens

Managing Director, CartGIS

Chris Stevens is Managing Director of CartGIS Pty Ltd, an emergency management, GIS and mapping and communications consultancy company based in Melbourne. Chris has extensive experience in LMR network design, planning and implementation as well as GIS and mapping application design and commissioning.

CartGIS Pty Ltd also specialises in bespoke training and education for the critical communication community. Chris has extensive qualifications and experience in secondary, tertiary and workplace training and education, which, coupled with his communication experience, delivers industry and client focused outcomes.

Chris is also Co-Vice President of ARCIA, and Sub-committee convenor of training and education for ARCIA.

Shivneet Nair

Regional Technical Manager—Enterprise (AUS/NZ/Pacific Islands), Cambium Networks

Shivneet is an experienced Technical Engineering Manager with over 15 years of experience within the I.T. and telecommunications sector, designing and implementing networking infrastructure in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Hamish Duff

Managing Director, Mastercom; President, ARCIA

Hamish is the Managing Director of Mastercom and a founding Director of the Orion Network. A specialist in wide–area radio networks, Hamish has a genuine understanding of the pressures faced out in the field and the role that efficient communications plays to help people every day.

With a career in communications spanning more than 40 years, Hamish is skilled in making the complex, simple–engineering communication solutions to support the needs of all users—from the control room to the field.

Simon Lardner

Head of Wireless business—Vocus, Vocus/Challenge Networks

Simon is the Head of Wireless business — Vocus at Vocus/Challenge Networks, a telecommunications system integrator specialising in the design, build and management of small-scale carrier networks around the world. 

More recently, Challenge has become a world leader in the deployment of private LTE networks for the resources sector. Simon has over 27 years of international experience in the telecommunications industry specialising in mobile network design and implementation.

Nick Ashby

GWN Radio Engineering Expert, GWN Contract Directorate, Department of Transport and Mains Roads (QLD)

Nick has been the GWN Radio Engineering Expert for 10 years and has been with the Queensland GWN since shortly after GWN contract execution in late 2013.

As part of Nick’s role with the GWN Contract Directorate, he has responsibilities across the complete remit of functions performed and services provided, and prides himself on bridging the gap between technical and non-technical functions to ensure highest levels of service is provided to GWN agencies and ensuring value for money is achieved for the State under the GWN managed service contract with Telstra and Motorola.

Prior to GWN, Nick worked for Telstra for 10 years in various technical roles in Adelaide and Darwin and has a Bachelor of Telecommunications Engineering.

Dr Paul Elmes

Managing Director (Asia-Pacific), Tait Communications

Originally from the UK, Paul emigrated to New Zealand in 2006 where he worked for Tait Communications as a product manager and principal engineer until early 2010.

An engineer by training, Paul began his career as a research scientist at the UK’s Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. During this time, Paul completed a doctorate on the development of novel sonar transducers for the Royal Navy.

Paul has a broad background of experience across both the public and private sectors, holding senior positions in government departments, educational establishments and commercial enterprises.

Paul returned to Tait Communications in 2016 as the Product Line Manager for the P25 portfolio.  Most recently, he was the VP of Product Management, responsible for Tait’s global product portfolio.

Andrew May

Executive Manager, Spectrum Engineering Australia

Andrew is the Executive Manager of Spectrum Engineering Australia and has been with Spectrum Engineering for 19 years. During this time he has amassed a broad and intimate working knowledge of the regulatory environment and the coordination and licensing requirements for radio services in Australia. He now leads a team of professional engineers who provide licensing solutions to all sectors of the radio industry including the major carriers, government and the private sector.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering with First Class Honours from the University of Wollongong. He holds accreditation under the Australian Communications and Media Authority to issue Frequency Assignment Certificates and Interference Impact Certificates, and holds Approved Radio Certifier (ARC) status under New Zealand’s Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) branch.

Matthew Wormald

Operational Communications Leader, Fire and Rescue NSW

Matthew’s career with Fire and Rescue NSW spans more than 17 years. During his career, Matthew has worked in a variety of roles including as a firefighter in fire stations across New South Wales, Specialised Operations, Education and Training and most recently Operational Communications.

He leads the Operational Communications branch which is responsible for all wireless systems and Triple Zero call-taking and dispatch for NSW. Matthew holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical—with Honours, USYD) and is a volunteer with the NSW Rural Fire Service for the last 20 years in both operational and training capacities across NSW.

Michael Peacocke

Business Development Manager, SAT Pty Ltd

Michael is a communications expert who has spent the last 18 years working with radio link design and SCADA radio systems. Initially gaining experience at 4RF Limited, he now works at SAT PTY LTD.

Since moving to Australia in 2007, he has been actively supporting the critical communications industry by drawing on his comprehensive knowledge base which includes the latest technologies and trends.

Michael is passionate about helping organisations achieve their communications goals through innovative solutions that are tailored to their specific needs. He is an experienced problem-solver and enjoys the challenge of finding the best possible solution for any given situation.

Brad Welch

General Manager, TPL Systems Asia-Pacific

Starting as an Apprentice Radio Technician in Mt Isa, Brad has over 30 years’ experience in the critical communications industry including over 25 years’ experience in Critical Messaging.

This experience has seen him working for companies such as Hutchison Telecoms (now Vodafone Messaging), Selective Communications in New Zealand, WiPath Communications Australia and now TPL Systems Asia-Pacific. Brad has been heavily involved with providing critical response solutions and support in the Emergency Services and Healthcare markets.

Brad’s strength is listening to the customer and their requirements, using his experience to provide the most suitable outcomes to shorten critical response times and maximise the customer experience.

Superintendent Craig Stolte

Executive Manager of the QFES Operational Communications Unit

Superintendent Craig Stolte started his firefighting career in 2002 and is the Executive Manager of the QFES Operational Communications Unit.

This role manages all aspects of QFES’s Strategic planning and direction of QFES’s Communications networks. The includes as board member of the Government Wireless Network. Craig has been involved with the GWN since November 2013.

Craig has been heavily involved in emergency management over his career including the Queensland/Brisbane Floods of 2011 & 22, large scale wildfires across QLD including 2019/2020 and the majority of cyclones including leading the first deployment of the GWN to TC Debbie. Craig also deployed Internationally as part of the Queensland USAR team and has been involved in many interstate deployments.

Craig has a desire to see a national approach implemented to Operational Communications to address the consistent findings of many reviews around poor communications. Craig is currently the Chairman of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) ‘Operational Communications Sub Group’ and was the driving force to initiate the link between QLD GWN and NSW GRN (PSN).

Luke Marchant

General Manager—Government Centre of Excellence (CoE)—Telstra Defence and Public Sector

Telstra’s Defence and Public Sector team manages Government customers across Federal, State and Local as well as the Not-for-Profit sector in Australia. Luke is privileged to lead the CoE which is responsible for building Telstra’s go-to-market offers and solutions for procurement panels.

The CoE is also continually working with Government to drive innovation which helps transform how they service their citizens. In the last 12 months, the CoE has been focusing on technology trends like Cyber Services and connectivity for operational technology environments. Luke’s career highlights include working on programs that have significantly lifted bandwidth per student ratios within Public Schools and Frontline Officer enablement for Police and Ambulance.

Luke is passionate about digital inclusion and has represented Telstra in Federal initiatives such as Mobile Blackspot and Regional Connectivity Programs—these engagements have led to improved connectivity in regional areas across Australia.

Luke graduated from the Griffith University in Brisbane, before completing further post graduate studies at Kingston University, London. Luke has also completed Micro-Credentials in Intraprenuership and Product Management within the last 12 months.

Brett Pearson

Assistant Manager, Radio and Electronic Services, Western Australia Police Force

Brett has been contributing to the telecommunications industry since joining the Royal Australian Navy in 1991. Brett served on Patrol Boats stationed in Darwin and Perth, HMAS Coonawarra, HMAS Stirling and the Submarine Escape Training Facility before leaving The Navy to the join the Western Australia Police Force (WA Police Force) Radio Communication Unit in 2003.

During his time with the WA Police Force Brett has performed several roles including Field Technician, Network Maintenance Supervisor and Assistant Manager. Brett was a key member of the project team that converted the WA Police Regional Analogue Radio Network to a P25 Simulcast Trunked and Conventional Digital Network.

Brett’s current role includes management of the installation and maintenance of the WA Police Automatic Number Plate Recognition capability, utilising WIFI networks with satellite backhaul for operational support applications and satellite communications on the move to give frontline officers voice and data communications everywhere in Western Australia.

Steven Walker

Capability and Development Coordinator for the State Communications Division, Western Australia Police Force

Steve has 29 years’ experience in policing, having joined the Western Australia Police Force in 1994. He has served in metropolitan police stations, district crime teams, specialist units and regional Western Australia (Geraldton and Broome).

In 2020, Steve joined the State Communications Division as the Communications Division Support Coordinator, where he has developed knowledge of the WA Police radio networks, IT network & telephony systems and CAD Support areas for the co-located Police Operations Centre/Police Assistance Centre based in Midland WA.

Steve is current acting in the role of Capability and Development Coordinator for the State Communications Division, a newly established role to assist the Division with ongoing research, identification, development and implementation of capabilities to enhance call-taking and dispatch across the state.

Neil Jamieson

Group CEO, Hypha Ltd

Neil has been involved with exploring Satellite communications and applications for over 20 years with a specific interest in the Public Safety Sector.

As a founder, and the Group CEO of Hypha Ltd. Neil has been at the forefront of Satellite applications in Public Safety sector in Australia. From simple PTT applications to driving Big Data solutions with new LEO constellations, it has been his mission to explore non-traditional options to solve some of our unique communications challenges in Australia.