Appointment of Assistant
Commissioners
Two Assistant Commissioners
have been appointed to assist the Inquiry. Prof Thomas and Dr Sullivan
will assist the Inquiry in providing advice in their respective fields
of expertise and will assist with public hearings.
Dr
Robin Sullivan
Commissioner for Children and Young People, Queensland
The Commissioner
for Children and Young People is Dr Robin Sullivan (CertTch (KGTC),
HA, H.Ed(Qld), M.Ed (JCU), D.Univ (QUT), FACE, FQIEA)
Dr Sullivan was
appointed Children's Commissioner in April 1999 after a distinguished
career in the Queensland Department of Education. Her contribution to
the education system includes a wealth of practical experience and theoretical
research. She was trained as a teacher of History and English, and advanced
through the school based administrative hierarchy to become a secondary
school principal.
Dr Sullivan was
promoted to a number of senior positions in the Queensland State Education
Department culminating in her appointment as the first female Deputy-Director
General of Education in 1997. Many of these positions had a focus on
curriculum, learning and teaching, including a specific interest in
disadvantaged children.
Now known as Commissioner
for Children and Young People, Dr Sullivan is a member of various groups
including the Child Protection Council, the Queensland Crime and Misconduct
Commission Reference Group, and the Queensland Child Care Forum. In
2001, she was appointed by the Premier of Queensland as Honorary Mediator
for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). She was awarded
the Queensland Chapter Medal of the Australian College of Education
for 2001.
Dr Sullivan contributes
to a range of children's issues and policy agendas at the state and
national levels.
FROM: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au
Professor
Trang Thomas AM
Professor of Psychology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Trang Thomas graduated
with Bachelor of Arts with First class Honours (University of NSW),
Master with Honours (Macquarie University) and Ph.D in Psychology (La
Trobe University). She was former Director of the Centre for Applied
Social Research at RMIT and current Director of Science of the Australian
Psychological Society.
She has conducted
numerous research projects in Developmental Psychology and has produced
over 100 research papers, keynote addresses and conference presentations;
as well as many feature articles in the print and television media.
Trang Thomas chaired
a major inquiry into the adequacy of State government services in Victoria
for Non-English speaking people in 1996. The inquiry's 5-volume report
included 160 recommendations of which many have been implemented. Trang
Thomas' dedication to research with applied social impact has brought
her several awards, including the Alumni Achievement award from the
University of New South Wales, the Inaugural Distinguished Alumni award
from La Trobe University, and the Order of Australia (AM).
Her past appointments
include Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, Board of SBS,
Board of Council for Adult Education, Advisory Board of the International
Conflict Resolution Centre and the Victorian Casino and Gambling Authority.
She was also a delegate to the 1998 Constitutional Convention in Canberra
Current appointments include member of the National Council for Multicultural
Australia, National Council for the Centenary of Federation, and National
Health and Medical Research Council.
