Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Member Profiles

Mr Duncan Malcolm (Chairperson)

Mr Malcolm has a long and distinguished career in the area of natural resource management. He is currently the Chairperson of the Gippsland Coastal Board, Watermark Inc., a member of the Victorian Coastal Council and former Chair of Lakes and Wilderness Tourism and The Irrigation Association of Australia Ltd.

Associate Professor David Mercer

Associate Professor Mercer is with the School of Social Science and Planning at RMIT University. He has a background in natural resource management, recreation and tourism. The author of over 130 academic publications, Associate Professor Mercer is an elected Fellow of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand and sits on the editorial board of the Australasian Journal of Natural Resources Law and Policy.

Professor Barry Hart

Professor Hart has expertise in environmental science, particularly in water quality management and ecological risk assessment. He has published extensively and received several awards for his work in the scientific underpinning of natural resource management. Professor Hart also has considerable experience in catchment management issues across Victoria, having served on the Victorian Catchment Management Council for almost 10 years. He is also a Board member of the Victorian Environment Protection Authority.

Ms Jan Macpherson

Ms Macpherson is a lawyer with expertise in environmental and planning law. She also has an extensive background in Indigenous heritage and land management having worked for several years in northern Australia. Ms Macpherson has formal qualifications in corporate governance and is currently a Board member of Greening Australia.

Ms Jill McFarlane

Ms McFarlane comes from a background in family farming enterprises in both western Victoria and South Australia and also spent time as a social worker in rural areas of South Australia, NSW and Victoria. Ms McFarlane now lives in Central Victoria. Having completed two terms on the board of the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA), she has experience in the complexities of natural resource management issues across public and private land. She has a strong focus on community engagement and involvement in natural resource management.