As one of the largest volunteer organisations in Australia, we are dependent on the contribution of our volunteer members from everything from patrolling beaches, to providing overall strategic direction for the organisation. Board and committee members freely give up their time for the benefit of surf lifesaving and the Australian community in general.

Management boards (constituted under section 3 of the SLSA regulations)

Australian Council (AC)
The peak policy and decision body for surf lifesaving in Australia, made up of the President of SLSA, the seven Presidents of each State and the Northern Territory, the Directors of the organisation’s three operational areas - Lifesaving, Surf Sports and Development, and the Chief Executive Officer of SLSA. The AC delegates the management of SLSA to the Board of Management (BOM), made up of the Chief Executive Officers (or General Managers) of each State and the Northern Territory, the CEO of SLSA and four of his senior staff.

Ron Rankin AM President (Chair)
Peter George AM Director of Lifesaving
David Thompson Director of Surf Sports
John Fitzgerald Director of Development
Tony Haven President, SLSNSW
Ken Bird OAM President, SLSQ
Mike Martin President, SLSV
Bill Jamieson AFSM President, SLSSA
Greg Bird OAM President, SLST
Mark Irwin President, SLSWA
Bob Creek President, SLSNT

Board of Management (BOM)
As noted above, the BOM is delegated management authority by the AC.

SLSA CEO (Chair) - Brett Williamson OAM
SLSQ - Tony Scanlan
SLS NSW - Phil Vanny
LSV – Nigel Taylor ESM
SLS TAS - Tony van den Enden
SLS SA – Elaine Farmer OAM JP
SLS WA - Paul Andrew
SLS NT - Tony Snelling
SLSA Senior Managers:
GM Strategic Development - Norm Farmer ESM
GM Operations - Peter Agnew
GM Executive Services - Chris Giles
GM Sports - Grant Baldock
Group General Manager - Michael Hornby
Finance Manager - Roger Thompson
SLSF Executive Director - Steve Francia

Board of Development (BOD)
BOD is responsible for developing policies, guidelines and programs relating to the development of SLSA and its members. The Board of Development is a skills-based board that is appointed by the Australian Council.

John Fitzgerald (SA)(Chair)
Vanessa Brown (SLSA)
Graham Ford (NSW)
Lyn Barratt (TAS)
Mark Irwin (WA)
Kevin Larkins (VIC)
Michael Martin (VIC)

Board of Lifesaving (BOLS)
Responsible for the development and implementation of the strategic lifesaving business of SLSA, the board reviews, develops and maintains lifesaving rules, policies, standards and lifesaving manuals and encourages the expansion of services, including professional lifeguard services. The Board consists of the Director of Lifesaving, SLSA’s CEO (or nominee) and the State Directors of Lifesaving. BOLS decisions are implemented by the Board of Lifesaving Management (BOLSM – see below) which consists of the Lifesaving Managers of SLSA, and each state and territory.

Peter George AM (Chair)
Peter Agnew (SLSA)
John Restuccia (NSW)
Mark Fife (QLD)
Mark Scott (VIC)
Andrew Wells (TAS)
Bruce Hosking (SA)
Renato Bruce (WA)
Jo-anne Gardiner (NT)

Board of Lifesaving Management (BOLSM)
As outlined above, the BOLM implements decisions of the BOL.

Peter Agnew (Chair)
Dean Storey (NSW)
George Hill (QLD)
Greg Scott (VIC)
Alex Deane (TAS)
Shane Daw (SA)
Chris Peck (WA)
Tony Snelling (NT)

Board of Surf Sports (BOSS)
The BOSS is responsible for the management and development of the surf sports business, including the event management of all nationally significant surf sports events.

Dave Thompson (SLSA)
Grant Baldock (SLSA)
Rick Wright OAM (NSW)
John Brennan (QLD)
David Shields (QLD)
John Wright (WA)
Brett Harrod (NSW)
Don Alexander (SA)
John Holt (NSW)
Ian Fullagar (VIC)

Honorary Advisors (constituted under section 2 of the SLSA regulations)

The roles of SLSA’s honorary advisors are varied and are set out in the SLSA regulations.

National Radio Communications Officer - Scott Andrews (QLD)
National Medical Officer – Lifesaving - Dr Natalie Hood (VIC)
National Medical Officer – Sports Medicine - Nathan Gibbs (NSW)
National Medical Officer – OH&S - Anne-Marie Widermanski (WA)
National Medical Officer – Marine Stingers - TBC
National Power Craft Officer - Richard Budd (NSW)
National Historian - Ed Jaggard (WA)
National Archivist - N/A
National Surf Sports Coach Education Advisor - Peter Kirkwood (NSW)
National Surf Sports Officials Education Advisor - Donald Van Keimpema (NSW)
National Surf Sports Officials Appointments & Welfare Advisor - Donald Van Keimpema (NSW)
National Surf Sports High Performance Advisor - Brett Dowker (SLSA)
National Surf Sports Youth Advisor – TBC

Special Purpose Committees (constituted under section 4 of SLSA regulations)

Honours Committee
The role of this committee is to initiate nominations to the appropriate authorities on behalf of SLSA members considered eligible for civil, sporting, community and other awards.

John Fitzgerald OAM (SA) (Chair)
Vanessa Brown (SLSA)
Prof. Ed Jaggard (WA)
Danny Hoyland OAM (QLD)
Andrew Barnes (VIC)

Rules and Qualifications Committee
The committee deals with all matters affecting SLSA’s rules and also peruses nominations for all officers, to ensure nominees meet the requirements set out in the regulations.

Phil McGibbon (VIC) (Chair)
Simon Moriarty (NSW)
Michael Byrnes (NSW)

Surf Sports Selection Committee

Phillip Vanny (NSW) (Chair)
Chris Gately (NSW)
Stephen Fry (QLD)
Brett Dowker (SLSA) Head Coach

Surf Sports Technical Committee

Greg Allum OAM (NSW) (Chair)
Sport Ops Mgr (SLSA) - TBC
Stephen Strange (NSW)
Rick Wright OAM (NSW)
Allan Inwood (NSW) 1

Surf Sports Development Committee

Rick Wright OAM (NSW) (Chair)
Paul Purcell (SLSA)
Brett Dowker (SLSA)
Don van Keimpema (NSW)
Peter Kirkwood (NSW)
Grant Baldock (SLSA)
Peter George AM (SLSA)

Athletes Commission

David Shields (Chair)
Shannon Eckstein (QLD)
Elizabeth Pluimers (QLD)
Grant Hayes (NSW)
Zane Holmes (QLD)
Rebecca Hamilton (NSW)
Gary Cook (NSW)
Chris Allum (NSW)
Scott Bryant (NSW)
Sharon Brennan (QLD)
Tiarne Smith (QLD)
Martin Lynch (NSW)
Ryan Hoffman (QLD)

Surf Sports Advisory Forum

Dick Bignold (NSW)
Peter Connell (QLD)
Neil Morarty (VIC)
Craig Rogerson (TAS)
Don Alexander (SA)
Peter Ashby (WA)
Charles Rue (NT)

Surf Sports Operations Committee
[Note: On hold pending review of Regulations]

Australian Championships Executive Committee

Dave Thompson (Chair)
Ken Bird OAM (QLD)
Grant Baldock (SLSA)
Sally Fitzsimmons (SLSA)
John Brennan (QLD)
Graham Bruce (NSW) N/A

Australian Championships Executive Advisors

Ron Pears (NSW)
Ross Wyeth (QLD)
Darren Moore (NSW)
Stephen Strange (NSW)
Ken Bird OAM (QLD)
Craig Williams (SLSA)
Lauren Ryan (SLSA)
Lauren Barkla (SLSA)

Surf Sports Selection Committee
The committee selects individual athletes and teams in accordance with the relevant SLSA selection policy.

Phil Vanny New South Wales, Chair
Stephen Fry Queensland
Chris Gately New South Wales

National Youth Development Committee
The purpose of the National Youth Development Committee is to discuss issues and implement programs relating to youth activities within surf lifesaving.

John Fitzgerald OAM (SLSA) (Chair)
Vanessa Brown (SLSA)
Gary Chapman (NSW)
Sue Duncan (QLD)
Nancy Joseph (VIC)
TBC (TAS)
Stephen Cornish (SA)
Wendy Moss (WA)
Julie Snelling (NT)

National Education Committee

Craig Delahoy (SLSA) (Chair)
Pamela Simon (NSW)
Peta Lawlor (QLD)
Brooke Irvine (VIC)
Alex Deane (TAS)
Joy Fisher (SA)
Peter Ashby (WA)
Julie Snelling (NT)
Peter Agnew (SLSA)
Sport Ops Mgr (SLSA)
Vanessa Brown (SLSA)

National Lifeguard Committee

Andre Slade (SLSA) (Chair)
Steve Leahy (NSW)
Greg Cahill (QLD)
Dale Richardson (VIC)
Alex Deane (TAS)
Shane Daw (SA)
Matt Duplessis (WA)
Tony Snelling (NT)

National Lifesaving Gear & Equipment Committee

Bree Corbett (SLSA) (Chair)
Henry Scruton (NSW)
Sue Neil (QLD)
Graeme Hurrell (VIC)
Adrian Petrie (TAS)
Andrew Bedford (SA)
Matt Duplessis (WA)
Tony Snelling (NT)

Meritorious Awards & Lifesaving Selection Committee

Mark Fife (QLD)
Lyn Barratt (TAS)
Andrew Chubb (NSW)

National Hall of Fame Panel

Ron Rankin AM
Alan Whelpton AO (NSW)
Warren Rennin AM (NSW)
John Fitzgerald OAM (SA)
Vanessa Brown (SLSA) N/A

National Helicopter Advisory Committee
The NHAC provides advice to SLSA on helicopter operations and is a forum for helicopter inter-service consultation.

Ron Rankin AM
Brett Williamson OAM
Warren Tozer
Kris Beavis
Cliff Marsh OAM
Richard Jones
Ron Rankin AM
Ken Bird OAM
Tony Scanlan
Phil Vanny
Paul Andrew
Peter Marshman
Paula Butler

National History Committee
The purpose of the Committee is to advise, comment and, submit recommendations on the collection, conservation, management and documentation of the history of surf lifesaving in Australia.

Professor Ed Jaggard (WA)
Vanessa Brown (SLSA)
Stan Vesper (NSW)
Don Burchill OAM (QLD)
Prue Weber (VIC)
Ken Knight OAM (TAS)
Donald Henderson (SA)
Gary McKinnon (NT)

Finance, Audit and Compliance Committee
The committee assists the AC in oversight of the reliability and integrity of accounting policies, financial reporting and disclosure practices.

Peter George AM (Chair)
Ron Rankin AM
Brett Williamson OAM
John Fraser (NSW)
Neil Morarty (VIC)

Appointments and Remuneration Committee
The purpose of the committee is to recommend the appointment of the CEO to the AC, to review and report to the AC on the proposed remuneration strategy and package for the CEO and senior executives and to ensure adequate human resource levels within the organisation. The committee comprises:

Ron Rankin AM President SLSA
Peter George AM Director of Lifesaving

Public Liability Claims Committee
The primary function of the committee is to manage part of the public liability risk for all of SLSA’s entities participating in and covered by SLSA’s public liability insurance and to authorise claims.

Brett Williamson OAM
Peter Agnew
Phil Vanny (NSW)
Tony Scanlan (QLD)

Information Technology and Telecommunications Committee
This is a new committee, the purpose which is to make recommendations on the use of IT&T in the organisation.

Gary Daly (Chair)
Matt Hanks (NSW)
John Brennan (QLD)
Leigh Coutie (VIC)
Greg Bird (TAS)
Shane Daw (SA)
Ryan Greenaway (WA)
Gary Wall (NT)
Jonathan Farrell (NSW)
Robert Creek (NT)

National Marketing Committee

Michael Hornby (Chair)
Natalie Harrison (NSW)
Kerry Clifford (QLD)
Guy Britt (VIC)
Tony van den Enden (TAS)
Shane Daw (SA)
Scott Hine (WA)
Tony Snelling (NT)

For further information: info@slsa.asn.au
Page updated: October 2009