The Hon Alannah MacTiernan (WA) – Chair

The Hon Alannah MacTiernan served in State, Federal and local government for 30 years. Prior to entering Parliament in 1993, Ms MacTiernan was a partner in a commercial law practice.

Of particular relevance, Ms MacTiernan was a Minister in the WA Government for 13 years. From 2001-2008 she served as Minister for Transport, Planning and Lands and from 2017-2022 she held the portfolios of Regional Development, Agriculture and Hydrogen Industry.

During her time at the helm, Ms MacTiernan was responsible for many significant infrastructure projects throughout Western Australia.

As Minister for Regional Development for six years she was responsible for WA regional telecommunications investments – including pioneering the very successful Digital Farms programs that made commercial grade internet available to thousands of agribusinesses in WA.

WA’s vast size and relatively regional small population nodes provided Ms MacTiernan with a very real understanding of the challenges faced by regional and remote communities in accessing 21st century telecommunications.

Her time as a federal member expanded her knowledge of the national extent of these challenges. Ms MacTiernan is currently working for Liberty Primary Metals / GFG Alliance on Green Steel Projects.

Ms Kristy Sparrow (QLD)

Ms Kristy Sparrow is a grazier and co-founder of Better Internet for Regional, Rural and Remote Australia (BIRRR), an advocacy group established in 2014 to address telecommunication issues faced by people who live and work in rural and remote areas. Ms Sparrow grew up on a property in the NSW Riverina before attending university in Melbourne and then teaching in a small dairy community in regional Victoria. This was followed by a long stint as a Remote Area Families Services (RAFS) officer in regional Queensland. Mother of twins, ex-distance education home tutor and preschool teacher and strong regional advocate, Ms Sparrow also volunteers tirelessly in her community in various roles.

Ms Sparrow has a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the intricacies of regional telecommunications and issues faced by consumers and businesses. With a passion for ensuring equitable access to telecommunications services, Ms Sparrow has been a tireless voice in advocating for improved connectivity, addressing the unique challenges faced by regional communities. She is a member of the AgForce Telecommunications Working Group, Low Income Digital Inclusion Forum, Regional Tech Hub Advisory Panel, and the Rural, Regional and Remote Communication Coalition. Ms Sparrow also served as Deputy Chair of the 2021 Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee and has been nominated by the National Farmers' Federation, being a body representing regional, rural and remote Australia, as a member of the 2024 Committee.

The Hon Fiona Nash (NSW)

In 2021, the Hon Fiona Nash was appointed as the first Regional Education Commissioner. Her broad remit to improve regional education from early childhood education to tertiary education means she can provide a national focus and direction for regional education.

Ms Nash is a champion for regional Australia – ensuring improved and equitable access to education for all Australians living in regional, rural and remote communities.

Ms Nash has previously represented New South Wales in the Senate from 2004 to 2017, holding several ministerial roles including Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Regional Communications and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education.

Dr Jessa Rogers (VIC)

Dr Jessa Rogers CF GAICD MAIATSIS (Wiradjuri) is a senior First Nations researcher and educator at QUT, and is Managing Director of Baayi Consulting. She serves on a number of boards including the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, the ACECQA Board, and the Board of St Phillip’s College in Alice Springs. She is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Australian Aboriginal Studies Journal and the Feminist Anthropology Journal. Dr Rogers is a member of the ACCAN Indigenous Steering Committee.

An internationally recognised scholar, Dr Rogers has been both a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard University, and a Churchill Fellow. Her current research focuses on Indigenous people’s experiences of education in regional and remote areas including at boarding school and digital inclusion/online learning which she undertakes as a member of QUT’s Digital Media Research Centre and a recipient of an Australian Research Council award.

Mr Ian Kelly (VIC)

Mr Ian Kelly is a consultant and Advisor. His three-decade career across the information, communications, technology sectors, and more recently in health services, has been as a Non-Executive Director, CEO, executive, consultant, and in investment management.

Having lived and worked internationally for most of his career, Mr Kelly has had leadership roles in mergers and acquisitions, strategy, operations, start-ups, and business transformations. Following leading M&A transactions and managing corporate strategy projects in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, and Europe, he returned to Australia, leaving his role as Group Chief Executive at Sure Group based in Guernsey, where he led a full-service telco operating in seven island countries with unique service delivery, geopolitical, and, in some locations, defence challenges. Mr Kelly has extensive experience with telecoms and adjacent technologies and services, including subsea and terrestrial cables, satellites, data centres, cyber security, critical network infrastructure, mobile, and fixed and wireless broadband.

Mr Kelly lives in regional Victoria, has an MBA, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Bachelor of Business, and is a Graduate of the AICD. He volunteers with Bicycles for Humanity, where he leads the Finance and Governance Committee and Ronald McDonald House Charities.