Drug Free Australia: Management Committee

Management Committee – NSW Chapter

Mr. Craig Thompson
Former NSW Magistrate

Community Interests:

President of PRYDE Australia Inc. (Parents Reaching Youth through Drug Education - now closed)
Member PRIDE Inc. (Parents Resources in Drug Education) International Committee 1985-99 Atlanta, USA.
Board Member Ted Noffs Foundation 7 years.
Committee member Australian National Council on Drugs (1998-2004)
Vice-President Drug Watch Australia (Resigned)
Delegate to Drug Watch International.
Former District Governor Lions Clubs International District 201N2

Major Brian Watters AO
Former Vice President, INCB (UN)

Arts Degree from Newcastle (NSW) University, majoring in Medical Sociology.
Qualified Psychiatric Chaplain and trained at Newcastle University in Addictions Counselling.
In 1998 he was appointed by Prime Minister John Howard as The Chairman of the Australian National Council on Drugs, the peak Drugs Policy Advisory Body to the Australian Federal Government.
A member of the National Board of Drug Arm Australia;
Board Member of Drug Free Australia;
Member of the Leadership Council of International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition.
Past President of the N.S.W. Network of Alcohol and Drug Agencies with a Membership of more than 100 Agencies.
Served on the N.S.W. Health Minister’s Drug Advisory Council.
In 2005 he was elected by ECOSOC to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) of the United Nations – based in Vienna.
In 2007 appointed Vice President of the INCB

Mr. Gary Christian
Specialist Researcher – AOD and Community Health

Community Interests:

1980-1988 - Coordinated the Eastern Suburbs Five Day Plan to Stop Smoking
1986-1987 - Co-writer of the Quit Now Stop Smoking Program
1999 - Co-founder of the Cabramatta ADRAcare Centre for drug dependent and homeless people of the area
2000-2003 - President of Hassela Australia Teen Drug Rehabilitation program
1992-2009 - senior management in the Australian welfare industry
2003-present - Research Director, Drug Free Australia

Josephine Baxter
Executive Officer

2007-2010 - Member of the Australian National Council on Drugs
2003-2007 Community Services and Health Consultant - (Drug and Alcohol)
2004-2005 - Community Relations Manager – Odyssey House Victoria
2002-2004 - National Director – Programs and Training, Life Education Australia, NSW
2001-2002 - Project Manager, Offshore Licensing (India & Bangladesh), Centre for International Education and Training
2000-2001 - Chief Executive – Life Education, SA

Overseas Project Experience:

2008 to present, Vice President, World Federation Against Drugs and Member of the International Task Force on Strategic Drug Policy
2007 – Conference presentation, ICAA Conference, Stockholm
2004 – Conference presentation, Tobacco Control Conference, Helsinki
2003 – United States of America – AER Foundation Research Scholarship, ‘Life Skills Training’, Cornell University, USA
2001-2002 – Bangladesh and India – Program Manager, Offshore Licensing, Centre for International Education and Training, TAFESA
1999 - United States of America – OTFE Research Scholarship – ‘Learning Organisations and Life Long Learning’.
1999 - United States, Europe and Ireland – established credit transfer links and articulation arrangements for international students and staff exchanges
1997 – Florence, Italy – Curriculum Designer – William Angliss Institute
1983-84 Malaysia – Orientation Counsellor, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Kuala Lumpur.

Mr. Herschel Mills Baker
President - APFDFY

Community Interests:

1999 Parent Drug Education Courses: Mary River Lions Club Seminar; Quota Club; Baptist Church, Hervey Bay
Block Coordinator of Neighborhood Watch
Member of Police Liaison Committee
Member of Blue Light Disco Committee (Security)
Member of Maryborough Police Youth Association (Treasurer)
Project Manager for establishing PCYC at Maryborough
Project Manager 5 year Operation Road Runner, 1991 -1996
Project Manager for 5 year Road Runner 2
President and Founding Member of Australian Parents for Drug Free Youth, since 1986
Coordinator for APFDFY Education Web Site, since 1997
Facilitator for Drug Stop
Member of Tough Love
1986-present - DFA Researcher and Publications Director focussing on Cannabis Harms

Major General Peter R. Phillips AO, MC, (Retd), BA (Qld), FAICD
Strategic Planning

Community Interests:

Chairman, National Ex-Service Round Table on Aged Care
Chairman, Australian Veterans’ Children Assistance Trust
Board Member, Centre for Ageing and Pastoral Studies
Board Member, Australian War Memorial ANZAC Foundation
Life member, RSL (National President 1997-2003) and the Returned Services Assn, NZ
Member, Canberra Legacy (President; Member National Coordinating Council 1992/93)
Member, Advisory Group, Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration and Refugees
Chairman, Finance Council, Catholic Military Diocese
Member, Australian Veterans' Vietnam Reconstruction Group (and former governor, Australia-Vietnam Medical Trust)
Member, Australian Families Association
Patron, Australian Family Association, Haemophilia Foundation Australia (ACT), the Victoria Barracks (Brisbane) Historical Society and several Ex-Service organisations

Isobel Gawler
Community Health Issues

Community Interests:

Past National Advisor on Legislation to the National Council of Women of Australia
Past Executive Member of the National Council of Women of Victoria
Past Secretary of the Drug Advisory Council of Australia Inc.
Past Executive member of the Family Council of Victoria
Past Executive member of the Australian Family Association (Vic.)

Mr. John Barich
Family Matters

Community Interests: