IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Floor 1, 60 Leicester Street
Carlton 3053
Australia
Tel: ++61 (3) 9345-1122
Fax: ++61 (3) 9345-1166
Email: figdon@ozemail.com.au

In addition to her position with WCPA, Penny is currently a on the Board of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Chair of the Parklands Advisory Committee, and Director of the Parklands Foundation. She is also a Member of the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council, a Director of the People and Parks Foundation and a Visiting Fellow at the Graduate School of the Environment, Macquarie University.

She has been a senior member of the Australian environment movement for nearly 30 years, contributing through policy development, public speaking, lecturing and writing. A political scientist by training, she was national lobbyist the Australian Conservation Foundation in the early eighties. She was elected to the ACF Council in 1985 and served seventeen years as Vice President. Other roles include nine years as a Director of the Australian Bush Heritage Fund and four years as Vice President of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW. As well as the boards or committees of the Australian Tourist Commission, the Environment Protection Authority of New South Wales, Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, the Great Barrier Reef Consultative Committee, Landcare Australia, the Jenolan Caves Trust and the Commission for the Future.

In 1994 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her services to conservation and the environment, in 2003 was awarded the Centenary Medal for outstanding contribution to the environment and on Australia Day 2006 was awarded one of Australia’s highest honours, an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for service to the environment, nature conservation and sustainable tourism.

Australia
Christmas Island
Cocos
New Zealand
Norfolk Island

The region operates with the help of a national committee in Australia and some key advisors in New Zealand.

The region is fortunate in having many active professional members able to support the WCPA in its work. Members of the region are prominent in WCPA both nationally and internationally. They include Marc Hockings, Vice Chair for Management Effectiveness, Graeme Worboys, Vice Chair for Mountains, Graeme Kelleher, Senior Advisor and Head of the Task for on the High Seas.

Other Task force leaders from the Australia New Zealand Region are Prof. Elery Hamilton Smith, Caves and Karst; Dr Bob Pressey, Conservation Planning;; Lee Thomas, Sustainable Financing; Nick Connor on Values and Benefits; Associate Prof. Robyn Bushell, Co-Task Force Leader on Tourism and Brian Gilligan assisting Allen Putney on World Heritage

Assoc. Professor Peter Valentine from James Cook University is the Editor of the important Best Practice Guidelines and David Sheppard, who is the Head of the Programme on Protected Areas for IUCN in Geneva is also an Australian.

The network continues to grow with strong recruitment in 2005-2006. WCPA ANZ now has over 250 members, 100 new members and includes very senior representatives in all sectors. New Zealand is currently 57 members and requires further recruitment and activation.

The network is primarily activated through a list server and regular newsletters. Many members are active in particular Task Forces. Members are also offered opportunities to contribute their expertise on projects and submissions. In 2005/6 members have been actively engaged by assisting with major submissions. A number of projects and meetings are well advanced for 2007.