The Urban Water Governance Program Research Team

Program Leader - Associate Professor Rebekah Brown

Rebekah Brown is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Geography and Environmental Science at Monash University and currently co-ordinates the new Masters of Corporate Environmental and Sustainability Management Program and is the Faculty of Arts Coordinator for Post-graduate Coursework. She is a civil engineer and social scientist who has specialised in environmental and sustainability issues in the water sector over the last 15 years. Rebekah is an interdisciplinary researcher with an applied industry focus.

Upon graduation in civil engineering she was awarded the Australian Ove Arup & Partners Fellowship for Excellence in Engineering Studies. This fellowship provided the basis for her to spend the first eight years of her career as an industry consultant focusing on improving water quality and water conservation in major infrastructure projects such as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link ( UK ) and the Bangkok Yannawa Wastewater Scheme (Thailand). Upon deciding to pursue her social science research interests, in 2002 she was awarded the first interdisciplinary PhD across the social and physical sciences by the University of New South Wales focusing on advancing sustainable urban water management.

Rebekah specialises in institutional development and organisational change for advancing sustainable water futures. Over the last five years she has undertaken a number of independent consulting projects across NSW, Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland for both State and local governments advising on institutional development and policy application in the water sector.

In recognition of her research into urban water governance she has been invited as a Keynote Speaker at a number of conferences including the: The 3rd International Conference on Water Sensitive Urban Design: Cities as Catchments in Adelaide (2004), The Planning Institute of Australia: Queensland State Conference in Brisbane (2005) and The 10th International Conference on Urban Drainage in Copenhagen (2005). More recently, Rebekah was asked to be keynote speaker at the 5th South Pacific Stormwater Conference (16th-18th May) in New Zealand. She will present recent work undertaken on socio-technical transitions in urban water governance in Melbourne, Australia.

Research Fellow - Dr Megan Farrelly

Dr Megan Farrelly is a Research Fellow within the School of Geography and Environmental Science at Monash University. Megan recently graduated from her PhD in Geography from the University of Western Australia and joined the Program in mid-December 2006. Her postgraduate work, funded by Land and Water Australia (an Australian Government research and development body), focused on integrated environmental planning and management across Australia with an evaluation of the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust. While she has focused on rural, regional issues in the past, Megan considers there are many institutional and social complexities experienced in these policy fields that also relate to the urban context.

Prior to undertaking her PhD , Megan completed her undergraduate degree with honours in environmental planning and management, also at the University of Western Australia. Following this, Megan worked as a Research Assistant for Professor John Dodson investigating aspects of paeleoclimatology.

With a strong background in applied social research, Megan has broad professional interests in integrated environmental planning and management, sustainable urban water management, regional planning, environmental management systems, evaluation studies, institutional capacity building and community engagement and participation. She is a member of the Institute of Australian Geographers and of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand.

Research Fellow - Nina Keath

Research Assistant - Stacey Sawchuk

Katherine MacDonald

Research Collaborator - Professor Chris Cocklin (James Cook University)

Independent Steering Committee Chairperson - Professor Barry Hart

Professor Barry Hart has recently joined the Program to chair the National Urban Water Governance Program Steering Committee. Professor Barry Hart is Director of the environmental consulting company - Water Science Pty Ltd, having recently retired from Monash University. He is still associated with Monash University as an Emeritus Professor. He also served for 10 years as Deputy Director Research of the CRC for Freshwater Ecology.

Professor Hart has established an international reputation in the fields of water quality management, environmental risk assessment and environmental chemistry. He has received several awards, including the Limnology Medal (1982) from the Australian Society for Limnology, the Environmental Chemistry Medal (1996) and Applied Chemistry Medal (1998) from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, and in 2003 a Centenary Medal for services to water quality management and environmental protection.

Professor Hart is well known for his sustained efforts in developing knowledge-based decision making processes in natural resource management in Australia and south-east Asia.

INDUSTRY LIAISON OFFICERS

Mr Gavin Blakey (Brisbane City Council)

The city of Brisbane is home to nearly one million people. Brisbane City Council is responsible for managing all aspects of the water cycle, including the water supply, sewerage and stormwater networks, flood management, waterway health, alternative water sources, and catchment management (though we have limited influence over rainfall and evaporation!).

In his role as Principal Officer Stakeholder Engagement, Gavin and his team work with external and internal stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes in sustainable water management for the people of Brisbane and South East Queensland.

In the 25 years since Gavin graduated with an honours degree in engineering he has undertaken a range of roles during 8 years in private enterprise and 17 years in local government. Gavin has worked in Australia, the United Kingdom and Taiwan. He has an MBA in Technology Management and is the 2002-03 international president for the worldwide leadership and communication organisation Toastmasters International. Gavin has specialised in policy and strategic planning in urban water management. He is particularly interested in the integration of all the water elements to achieve sustainable water outcomes.

The Brisbane City Council website is: www.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Mr Chris Lee (Smart Water Fund/South East Water - Melbourne)

Chris has worked in the water industry for 24 years and in that time he has seen a great deal of change in the sector. Based in Melbourne, his career has seen him work for the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, The Rural Water Commission, Mornington Peninsula & District Water Board, Melbourne Water and he is currently with South East Water. Chris has also spent some time working for Anglian Water in the UK through an industry based exchange program. With a business background, Chris' current role has him managing the Smart Water Fund, a collaborative Victorian water industry-wide R&D grant fund that supports the development of innovative sustainable water solutions. Chris also sits on various policy and advisory committees including Melbourne's Drought Response Committee and at a national level he sits on the Standards Australia Committee for the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme. Chris holds 'Fellow' status with the Revenue Management Association and 'Member' status of the Institute of Credit Management in both the United Kingdom and Australia.

As part of the Steering Committee for the National Urban Water Governance Program, with the breadth of his experience and particularly in his role as Manager of the Smart Water Fund (a funding partner to the Program), Chris will be able to utilise his broad industry knowledge to assist in the delivery of the Program in the Melbourne region.

Ms Alison Luobikis (Water Corporation - Western Australia)

Alison Luobikis is a Strategic Analyst in the Water Corporation's Water Cycle Project Team. Prior to this, Alison worked as a business development analyst with a key service provider in Western Australia providing quantitative analysis of business operational performance to support changes to funding arrangements and to redesign service delivery models.

In her current role, using her strong quantitative and qualitative background, her main areas of focus are:

• Repositioning the Water Corporation to manage drainage water as part of the urban water cycle (within a context of a broader, whole-of-sector reform); and
• Examining the role of non-drinking water in meeting future water needs of the Western Australian community and the role the Water Corporation should play in the provision of these services.

To deliver real and sustained on-the-ground change in both of these areas, understanding the institutional context and how to move beyond that context is critical. This is where the findings (and the processes) from the National Urban Water Governance Program will assist.

Research Students

André Taylor - PhD Student

André Taylor is a PhD student within the Program. Previously a part-time Research Fellow with the program, André has decided to undertake a PhD research project on the ' Champion Phenomenon' experience in the urban water industry .

André has 15 years of experience in the fields of environmental management and specifically urban water and waterway management. His expertise has been gained through working in Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria for consultancies, State government, local government and academia.

His areas of expertise are:

• Urban water cycle policy and governance.
• Urban stormwater and water quality management.
• Non-structural urban stormwater management measures.
• Life cycle costing and triple-bottom-line assessment.
• Public speaking, group facilitation and environmental training.
• Environmental management.
• Monitoring and evaluation.

Susan van de Meene - PhD Student

Susan van de Meene is a PhD student with the Program, exploring sustainable urban water governance issues . Susan has completed a Bachelor of Arts (Geography) and Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental) at the University of Melbourne. Since graduating, Susan has worked in engineering and environmental consulting on a variety of projects relating to urban water management and design of water management systems. She has developed a particular interest in the social aspects of engineering and is working on a PhD project that aims to develop an institutional capacity assessment framework. The project will explore the attributes of 'good institutional capacity', institutional arrangements and operation, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. It is expected that the framework will inform the strategic design of capacity building interventions to advance sustainable urban water management.

Peter Morison - PhD Student

Peter Morison joined the National Urban Water Governance Program in September 2006 as a postdoctoral researcher. Peter's PhD considers the application of urban stormwater policy within the typical state-local intergovernmental context and the refinement of program interventions that are sympathetic to the relative capacities of the local councils involved. This is a new area for policy research where policy instruments are devised and mixed according to institutional capacity. The research involves a case study of the $20 million stormwater quality programs led by Melbourne Water. Peter comes to the Program with over 10 years experience in catchment management in NSW working for a number of local councils, state agencies and as a consultant. His passion for local government and the management of the waterways environment provides a solid foundation for this research project.

Richard Roberts - Honours Student

Richard Roberts is currently completing an Environmental Science degree at Monash University majoring in 'Geography' and 'Environmental and Conservation Biology'. Richard has recently commenced an honours project looking at issues surrounding water use and urban water governance - an area that he has held a keen interest in over the past few years.

This project is looking at the theory of technology diffusion, and the barriers and incentives for the implementation of alternative water sources in Melbourne, specifically looking at the technologies. This research aims to develop criteria to evaluate where Melbourne is in the process of the diffusion of these technologies. Richard also hopes to look at the means by which to remove these constraints, and methodologies by which to further the implementation of these technologies and projects in the Greater Melbourne area, in order to further sustainable development and the more efficient use of potable water.

Jeroen Rijke - International Masters Student

Part of the commitment to the partnership with Delft University of Technology that the Program developed included Masters Student, Jeroen Rijke, being located at Monash between September and December 2006. As a part of the 'Living with Water' research program, Jeroen is focused on urban stormwater management. His time in Melbourne was spent on a case study for direct comparison to examples in the Netherlands. Jeroen plans to compare the standard level of practice in both Cities and will investigate the way new technological innovations are introduced, adopted and up-scaled. It is hoped this research will identify some key enabling factors that are associated with advancing more sustainable forms of urban water management.