The board

Commenced: March 2022

Peter Duncan has over 40 years’ experience in government and infrastructure, working at local, state and national levels. He has held various senior public sector roles including local government, Premier and Cabinet, Transport for NSW, Primary Industries and for the Olympic Coordination Authority.

His current appointments include Chair of ARTC, WaterNSW, NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission, non-executive director of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, Inland Rail Pty Ltd and board member of Infrastructure NSW and JMI (the James Martin Institute for Public Policy).

He is the principal of an advisory business, chairs the Northern Rivers regional advisory committee of the Rescue Helicopter Service and shares his time between work in Sydney, Newcastle and his property in Northern NSW.

Commenced: August 2024

Catherine has extensive experience in governance, working as an academic and infectious disease epidemiologist in health, university and government sectors for over 20 years, including Deakin University, the University of Melbourne and NSW Health.

She was a board member for the National Centre for Farmer Health from 2017-2024, Head of the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University from 2010-2019. She has been the elected staff representative on Deakin University Council since 2021. She is a Deakin Distinguished Professor and inaugural Chair in Epidemiology, specialising in community transmission of infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance.

Catherine is a prominent public analyst on public health matters, keynote speaker, and advisor to industry, governments, and institutions globally, and led the health component of the Independent Inquiry into the Australian Government COVID-19 Response.

Commenced: February 2021

Kaye has over 30 years of experience working in the natural resource and water sectors and is a former Non-Executive Director of Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited. Kaye has designed and managed complex water recovery projects aimed at returning water to the environment and has a background in water policy and water reform. Kaye is Managing Director of The Risorsa Group Pty Ltd, a consulting company specialising in engagement and communication in the water industry.

Commenced: May 2024

Bob Debus has a background in law and public policy and a strong commitment to the protection of the environment.

He has had a long career working in leadership roles at the highest levels of Government, serving as a senior Minister in both the NSW and Australian governments in portfolios such as Attorney-General, Emergency Services and Home Affairs.

He has significant experience in natural resource management and environmental policy, having been NSW’s longest serving Environment Minister, and through his current roles as Chair of the non- government organisations Wilderness Australia and the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative.

Commenced: November 2022

Patricia is the Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, and brings over 30 years experience in government and public policy including as a past member of the NSW Legislative Council, as Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber and recently as Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand. Patricia has served on boards in the government, higher education and not-for-profit sectors and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and on the Newcastle Advisory Committee, Venues NSW.

Commenced: March 2022

Victoria Taylor has over two decades’ experience in primary industries policy, governance and communications, particularly in irrigated agriculture.  She is Non-Executive Director of Horticulture Innovation Australia and Chair of the AgriFood Innovation Institute at the Australian National University.  Victoria Taylor is also the Head of Sector Building at Cellular Agriculture Australia, a part-time role focused on the regulatory, policy and research settings required to develop the potential of future foods in Australia.

Commenced: May 2020

Andrew is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of WaterNSW, which is responsible for the supply of raw water to users throughout regional NSW and Greater Sydney, including to our largest customer, Sydney Water.

Andrew has held a number of Executive positions in WaterNSW since its inception in 2015, where he was part of the inaugural executive team and has since been involved in the strategic transformation of the NSW water sector.

Andrew has over 10 years’ experience in bulk water supply utilities with extensive experience in regulatory and market strategy, government relations, engineering, asset management, and major Infrastructure delivery.

Andrew is also a Director of WaterNSW Infrastructure Pty Ltd.