Bio’s
Biography – John Ball
Mr John Ball is Refugee Program Co-ordinator, Christian World Service (CWS), National
Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA). He started this term with CWS in refugee work in
2002. From the mid-1970s his university student, personal and later work roles have featured
concerns for nuclear disarmament, peace, development, human rights, refugees and asylum
seekers, Australian indigenous rights and the environment. Education and advocacy work,
usually linked to Christian ecumenical social justice positions and networks, have featured in
these areas. John was the Australian (then National) Council of Churches’ Victorian refugee
field worker from 1988 to 1995. He was an Australian Volunteer Abroad in Sri Lanka for two
years (1996-98) before returning to work on Sri Lankan peace advocacy with the Australian
Council for Overseas Aid (ACFOA), 1998-2002.
………………….
Biography - Phillip Adams
Phillip Adams AO. Writer, broadcaster and filmmaker. On of the founders of
AJA, Adams was awarded the 2006 Human Rights Medal by HREOC. Twice honoured
in the Order of Australia he has been Humanist of the Year, Republican of
the Year and received the Longford Award for his role in re-establishing the
Australian Film Industry. Adams many films include The Adventures of Barry
McKenzie, Don's Party, Lonely Hearts and The Getting of Wisdom. He's the
author of over twenty books - including Retreat from Tolerance. Adams' many
chairmanships include the Australian Film Commission, Film Australia, the
Australian Film Institute, the Commission for the Future, the National
Australia Day Council He was President of the Victorian Council of the Arts,
a board member of the National Museum, Greenpeace and Care Australia. A
newspaper columnist for over fifty years Adams has presented the ABC's
influential Late Night Live for sixteen years..
………………………
Biography- Dianne Hiles
Dianne Hiles was a mother of a four year old working as a project manager in IT when the 4
Corners exposé on the physical and psychological breakdown of 6 year old Shayan Badrai,
detained in Villawood and Woomera for two years, was screened in August 2001. She was a
founding member of a group of concerned parents and citizens that met in response to the
program and went on to become ChilOut, Children Out of Detention, campaigning for the
release of all children and their carers from Immigration Detention Centres. Dianne is the only
member of the original group to last the five years ChilOut was active. In that time she
directed strategy, led the group of co-ordinators, wrote frequent emails to inform and motivate
the thousands of supporters around Australia and networked widely with other key players in
the refugee movement. A passionate speaker on children’s rights she became known as
ChilOut’s spokesperson. A long term supporter of Amnesty International, Dianne was elected
to the Board of A Just Australia in April 2006 and became Secretary at the last AGM
………………
Biography: Sean Cleary
Sean has been an ordinary board member of AJA since February 2003. Originally from
Adelaide and now based in Brisbane, Sean is Coordinator of International Programs at the
Edmund Rice Centre in Sydney!! From 1990 to 1998 he worked in El Salvador being placed
there as a field worker by Jesuit Refugee Service. This human rights accompaniment role
was with communities who had undertaken mass repatriation from camps in neighbouring
Honduras back to the Salvadoran wartime conflictive zones. In mid-1994, during this time as
a field worker, he was a participant in the summer school of Refugee Studies Program at
Oxford University. Since his return to Australia in 1999 he has worked in communications
technology innovation & training in the non-for-profit community sector, including community
legal centres, youth employment and homelessness services. He is active within social justice
promotion and advocacy in Brisbane within grass-roots ecumenical efforts and as a member
of the Brisbane Catholic Justice & Peace Commission. He maintains active links with churchbased human rights work throughout Latin America by way of the international Oscar Romero
Network and with other regions through his work for the Edmund Rice Centre.
…………………
Biography – Phil Glendenning
Phil is the director of the Edmund Rice Centre. He was also the founding National President for
Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) and remain on the Board and the author of
the Australian Citizens Statement that is the basis for ANTaR’s Sea of Hands. Phil has also just
been elected to the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) Board. With a background in
education, Third World development and political science, today he is primarily involved in peace
and reconciliation work - especially with youth - in Australia, Northern Ireland, Israel and Palestine,
Rwanda and Aboriginal Australia. Previously he was the national adult education and information
officer of Caritas Australia.
Phil joined the Board of AJA shortly after it was created.
……………..
Biography- Ian Anderson
AM PhD M.Litt FCA CPA FHKICPA
Ian was founder Chair of Australians for Just Refugee Programs Inc. and our A Just Australia
campaign form early 2002 until December 2005. Since stepping down as Chair, Ian has
continued to serve on the A Just Australia Inc Board as Treasurer.
Ian is a member of the Board and Treasurer of Oxfam Australia, was Chair of Oxfam Hong
Kong for 10 years, and a member of its Board until 2003. He was a founder Board member of
Oxfam International through which the Oxfam development, humanitarian relief and social
and economic justice strategies and programs are coordinated globally, and Chair of its Board
for four years until 2003.
Trained as a Chartered Accountant, Ian worked professionally as a specialist tax partner in a
major accounting firm and then as a senior banker in structured finance.
…………………
Biography- Mary Stuart
Mary Stuart has spent the majority of her working life as a Union Official and views this as a
matter for pride. In her capacity as ACTU Senior Industrial Officer Mary Stuart had national
responsibility for significant industries affecting the national economy including: Building
industry, Timber industry, Pulp & Paper industry, Printing/Media /Newspapers; Coal Mining
industry; Metalliferous Mining industry; Maritime industry, Nursing and Professional Rates.
The role variously involved advocacy, negotiations, campaigning, planning/strategy/ tactics,
dispute resolution, arbitration of demarcation and coverage disputes, co ordination of multi
union campaigns, EBA bargaining, negotiating with State and Federal governments, disputes
affecting the national economy or a State Government or Public Sector workforce, Alliances,
Recruitment and Training. At various times Mary has been a founder of Australians for Just
Refugee Programs, founder of the Whitlam Lecture Series, Established the Trade Union
Education Foundation, been a member of the TUTA Board, established ACTU Organising
Works. She has held a number of appointed positions: Member of the Australian Honours
Selection Committee; Member of the Tripartite Timber Products Overseas Study Mission;
Expert Panel Member Australian Best Practice Selection Committee; Director of Australian
National Line (Shipping/Stevedoring industry); Member of the Construction Industry
Development Council; Victorian Industrial Relations Commission Panel Member. Mary is
currently a Director on a number of companies/bodies including AJA, the Child Labour
Schools Company (an overseas ILO Child Labour project in India); and Luna Park Melbourne.
Mary is the CEO of Luna Park Melbourne and remains actively involved in a range of
community and national advocacy organisations relating to social justice.