Nicole King
Chairperson
Nicole King graduated from Monash University in 2000 with a combined Bachelor of Arts/Law including comparative studies at the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. She soon after qualified as a legal practitioner in Victoria. Since then Nicole has worked in a wide range of government roles as a public policy specialist, in both regulatory and policy agencies, and has acquired a Masters of Public Practice and Administration from the University of Melbourne. She has experience in many aspects of public policy, focusing on consumer policy, law reform and advocacy, strategic research, business regulation and funded programs. Nicole is currently a Director with the ACCC in its Consumer, Small Business and Product Safety Division, with strategic direction, planning, risk, budget and policy responsibilities.
Louise Gartland
Secretary
Louise Gartland joined the Northern Community Legal Centre in January 2021. A People and Business executive with 20 years’ experience across the public and private sector. Louise has a significant record of achievement in driving organisational change to improve strategic alignment and organisational capability to improve outcomes and the customer experience. She is currently employed as the Executive Director, People and Culture at Fire Rescue Victoria, prior to that Louise held the position of Executive Director Services and Strategy at Master Builders Victoria and spent 4 years as Executive Director People Culture and Strategy at VicRoads. Louise has extensive private and public sector experience and functional over sight across Organisational Transformation, Cultural Change, Organisational Strategy and Business Planning, HR Systems and Services, Media and Communications, Workplace Relations and Ethical Standards.
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Tony Macafee
Treasurer
Tony Macafee was a member of the Moreland Community Legal Centre Committee of Management (from 2014) prior to the amalgamation. Tony is a qualified solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Tony is currently Senior Legal Counsel specialising in investments at UniSuper, a $120 billion not-for-profit (industry) superannuation fund. Prior to joining UniSuper Tony was Head of Legal at Equipsuper and has previously been a Partner at Hall & Wilcox and DLA Piper. Tony has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Arts (Politics Major) from Monash University.
John Rutherford
Board Member
John Rutherford is a registered Plumber and Gasfitter with the Plumbing Industry Commission. John was involved with the Building and Construction Industry for over 55 years until his retirement in 2009. He was an elected full time official of the Plumbers and Gasfitters Employees Union of Australia (PGEU) and served in this position for 28 years.
John was the PEGU representative on the Board of Directors of the Building Union Superannuation Fund, C+ BUS. Following the amalgamations of unions and the establishment of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU), John was elected Assistant National Secretary of this Union. John was a director of Building and Construction Training Australia, ACTU representative on the Construction Industry Forecasting Committee and the Indicative Planning Council for the Housing Industry. Since 1971, John has been the Honorary Secretary of the Broadmeadows Progress Association.
Ajit Singh
Board Member
Ajit Singh grew up in Punjab and came to Australia in 2006. During his settlement, Ajit faced many challenges including learning a new language, experiences of racism and cultural shock. Ajit started his career in the welfare sector at the Youth Hub in the western suburbs of Melbourne from 2006—2008. He worked as Youth Settlement Worker at Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre from 2010 – 2017, supporting young people from refugee/migrant backgrounds in their settlement needs. Ajit is former Secretary of Executive Committee of Hume Interfaith Network, where he worked to raise issues relevant to diverse faith communities at government level. He is Cofounder of Oorja Foundation Inc., a community led initiative to support Indian community best settle in Australia. He is the Managing Director of Bhangra Australia and has been involved in running poetry workshops for young people from diverse faiths with Multicultural Arts Victoria. He has received Award of Excellence in Meritorious Services from Governor on behalf of his work with Spectrum. He has been nominated for an award as Victoria’s Multicultural Champion by the Hon. Minister of Multicultural Affairs. In his spare time, Ajit enjoys local music, attending poetry events, meditation, travelling, bush walking and cooking fine Indian cuisines.
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Justin Barbour
Board Member
Justin has worked advising Members of Parliament including a Cabinet Minister for nearly a decade. He is a proud lifelong union member, and has previously been a delegate and a member of the bargaining team representing hundreds of workers. Justin holds a Bachelor of Business (Industrial Relations) from Griffith University in Queensland, and is in the final stretch of his law degree. Justin is actively involved in progressive politics, having served on a number of committees and organisations in various capacities including the governing body of a political party, and has worked as an organiser to advance those progressive values. He is especially interested in the role that disadvantage plays in the criminal justice system, and ways to address those structural issues. He currently works at a not-for-profit in the building and construction sector.
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