Primary Employers Tasmania is led by a Committee of hands-on farmers with practical experience in workplace relations, as well as a team of employees that are committed to providing the best advice, training and advocacy to underpin the long-term sustainability and compliance of your agricultural businesses.
Please take a moment to meet our people.
The Committee
Felicity Richards
President
Felicity is a proud Tasmanian farmer. Together with her husband Mark, they run a mixed farming enterprise on two properties, one on Flinders Island and another near Launceston. Their business is beef focused, as well as cross-bred sheep and cropping for fodder.
Felicity has an Arts Law Degree from the Australian National University and spent 10 years working for a range of government agencies across the state, territory and federal level.
Her extensive experience in regulatory compliance and mediation enables Felicity to bring a practical, personal and professional approach to ensuring farmers comply with the myriad of industrial relations and workplace health and safety compliance obligations.
Felicity has honours in Privacy Law, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, is a member of the Harvest Launceston Community Farmers’ Market and was instrumental in establishing the Tasmanian Seed Industry Association.
Felicity has been a member of the Primary Employers Tasmania Executive Committee for three years and President for two years.
Ben has a life-long passion for hands-on agricultural business management. He manages the family business Strathroy Pastoral, which is a mixed farming operation spread across two properties located at Breadalbane and Nile. The enterprises focus on superfine Merinos, commercial Angus, primeline composites, Australian stock horses and irrigated cropping of potatoes, poppies, cereals, carrot seed and fodder.
Ben has a Commerce Degree from Melbourne University where he majored in Agricultural Business Management and Marketing. Prior to joining the farm operation in 2012, he spent 13 years working in senior management roles for national pastoral house Elders in North-East Victoria, Southern Riverina NSW and Tasmania. He has extensive experience in strategic planning, operational leadership, employee management, client relations, business development and supply chain innovation across a range of agricultural sectors.
Ben also sits on the Irrigators Representative Committee for the Lower South Esk Irrigation Scheme and is Vice President of Angus Australia’s Tasmania Committee.
Ben Grubb
Vice President
Melissa Ferguson
Treasurer
Melissa works full-time in her family’s grazing business Grindstone Bay Pastoral, located across two properties on Tasmania’s East Coast. They run about 20,000 fine wool merino sheep, approximately 1000 beef cattle and manage a sheep meat enterprise.
Melissa has played an active role on many boards, as well as in local community organisations. She joined the Primary Employers Tasmania Committee in 2018 and is currently the Treasurer and Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk sub-committee, responsible for oversight of the organisation’s finances, budgets, governance and risk management.
She was also a former Treasurer and Board Member of the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, Secretary of the local Spring Bay Tennis Club Inc, honorary auditor for Spring Bay Suicide Prevention Network, Triabunna Junior Football Club, and the Orford and District Riding Club.
Melissa has a Bachelor of Commerce and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Course.
Marcus is Farm Manager and a Director at Hillwood Berries Tasmania. Together with his brother and father, they grow strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. In total, they have almost 40 hectares of hydroponically-grown berries all under protective tunnels. Marcus is also part-owner of Stonesthrow Launceston, located in Norwood.
Marcus studied Business Management at the University of Texas Pan American in Southern Texas USA. He played Division One College tennis whist studying and graduated in 2012.
Marcus’ berry farm is heavily invested in the Seasonal Worker Program (SWP), employing more than 300 seasonal workers annually from both Tonga and Timor Leste. Hillwood Berries have been part of the SWP for six years and have three accommodation facilities in northern Tasmania to house their workers.
Marcus is married to Luisa and has three young children. He joined the Primary Employers Tasmania Committee in 2019.
Marcus Dornauf
Committee Member
Rick Ertler
Committee Member
Rick is a part owner of Premium Fresh Tasmania, a vegetable growing and packing operation based at Forth on Tasmania’s North West Coast. Rick and his two brothers started the company 20 years ago but the property at Forth has been part of the family for almost 70 years.
During the main season, the Company employs in excess of 200 people and has a permanent workforce of 80.
Rick originally worked on the family farm after studying at Dookie Agricultural College. The family started a small vegetable processing factory in Devonport in 1982, which Rick operated until its sale 2005.
Rick is currently managing HR and Quality Systems at Premium Fresh and has overall responsibility of finance. The role allows him to be involved in all areas of the business and not lose sight of where the real value is created – on the farm, in the factory and marketing.
Rick’s proudest moment was accepting the National Export Award for Premium Fresh in Canberra in 2017.
Ferdie is a well-known and respected Tasmanian farmer who continues to operate his property Rosedale, producing wool, prime lambs and beef cattle. He constructed the first operating pivot irrigator in the State, previously having built the first major on-farm irrigation dam.
Ferdie has enjoyed a long career in agri-politics and community organisations. He started Angus Week in 1973, spent more than seven years on the Angus Society Federal Council, 10 years on the Campbell Town Council (five as Warden), was President of the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, Chairman of the TFGA Meat Council, and a member of the National Farmers Federation’s Cattle Council (during which time CALM was established and the Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation).
He spent five years on NFF’s Executive, including chairing the Transport Committee, and the Education and Training Committee.
Ferdie is also a past president of Primary Employers Tasmania.
Ferdie Foster
Committee Member
Michele Lawrence
Committee Member
Michele is a dairy farmer from Meander and is responsible for farm planning, budgeting, accounts, ATO obligations, wages, HR management, WHS compliance, animal records and calf rearing. The family dairy business, which she operates alongside her husband Brian has won multiple awards including 2016 Tasmanian Dairy Business of the Year and 2015 ABC Rural Kondinin Australian Dairy Farmer of the Year. The Lawrences milk more than 1,000 cross bred cows in a pasture based, seasonal production system with a strong emphasis on animal welfare and pasture management.
Michele joined the Board of the Tasmanian Dairy Industry Authority in 2017,was appointed to the Agricultural Industry Advisory Council in 2018 and chaired the review of the Farm Household Allowance in 2018-19. She was recently appointed to the TFGA Dairy Council and joined the 2019 Australian Dairy Plan Joint Transition Team to examine and recommend change to dairy industry organisational structures.
Michele has a Bachelor of Education, has worked as a primary school teacher and enjoys being involved in the school based program Cows Create Careers.
Warwick operates a mixed farming business located near Campbell Town and has played a leading role in many agribusiness and industry associations, including the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, the National Farmers Federation’s Industrial Association, the Sheepmeat Council of Australia, the Sheep Industry CRC and the Angus Society of Australia.
Warwick has had a long association with Primary Employers Tasmania, serving a term as President and Treasurer. He is very passionate about the big picture issues associated with workplace relations, training, and workplace safety. He also has a keen interest in enabling Primary Employers Tasmania to continue to grow as a dynamic independent organisation, representing its members in all matters related to employment, training and workplace safety.
Warwick O’Connor
Committee Member
Emma Sutherland
Committee Member
Emma grew up in Tooma in New South Wales and attended Marcus Oldham Agricultural College in 2011. She worked in her family-owned business, Upper Murray Seeds, for four years, which produces and markets Australian bred seed. Her role was the logistics of interstate and international seed sales.
In 2015, Emma moved to Tasmania for a 'sweeter' career path in berry production.
Her role is currently Business Manager for Burlington Berries, which produces the finest first-grade berries for Driscolls Australia on 47 hectares of protected poly tunnels.
Emma, along with her three younger sisters, are all currently working in different areas of the family businesses, which are located in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
Stephanie and her husband Andrew own a beef cattle and cropping business, as well as a berry business producing hydroponically grown strawberries, raspberries and blackberries operating over two sites at Exton and Christmas Hills. During the harvest period, the berry business employs in excess of 300 people, including locals, international backpackers and seasonal workers from Pacific Island nations.
Stephanie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania. She has practised as a Barrister and Solicitor in Tasmania, in both private practice and a corporate organisation. Stephanie is currently on maternity leave caring for her two young daughters.
Stephanie has been involved in the Southern and Northern Young Lawyers Committees, the Family Law Practitioners Association of Tasmania and a sub committee of the Deloraine Show Society. She has been a member of the Primary Employers Tasmania Committee since 2018.
Stephanie Terry
Committee Member
Employees
Andrew Cameron
Executive Officer & Workplace Relations Director
Andrew has more than 35 years’ experience advising people and businesses in the law, industrial relations and human resource management. He has acted for many employers in Tasmania, providing quality advice designed to meet business requirements and has a practical and professional approach to workplace issues.
A respected advocate, Andrew regularly appears for members and clients in the Tasmanian Industrial Commission, the Fair Work Commission and the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal.
He was previously a partner in a New South Wales law firm and has 10 years’ experience in private legal practice. He has also worked for the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as an Industrial Advocate, for a private school as the Human Resources Manager and ran his own workplace relations consultancy business for eight years. Andrew is an experienced trainer and has provided training to a variety of businesses across Tasmania.
Andrew has a Bachelor of Commerce (Industrial Relations), Bachelor of Laws, Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, Certificate IV Assessment and Workplace Training, Diploma in Human Resource Management and is a Qualified Small Groups Trainer.
Vanessa Kidd
Executive Assistant
Vanessa has been part of the Primary Employers Tasmania team since early 2001. She manages the administration side of the office, assisting members with various workplace relations enquiries and keeping them up to date with their membership, wage schedules and awards.
Vanessa has a passion for art and graphic design and enjoys compiling all the advertising material and maintaining the website.
Vanessa brings with her a high skill-set and a Business Administration Degree following many years working on regional development projects with the Northern Tasmanian Regional Development Board (now Regional Development Australia - Tasmania), as well as working for a local law firm covering criminal and family law.
Vanessa now works for both Primary Employers Tasmania and Poppy Growers Tasmania, as well as raising her young son and helping her husband manage their paving business. She loves spending her spare time with her husband, son and friends and visiting family on the East Coast and at the farm at Ringarooma.
Jack has worked in the wool industry for more than 40 years. A very experienced shearer, he has worked across most of Australia as both a shearer and wool classer. He is highly regarded by his peers and woolgrowers.
In 2012 Jack took on the role of Shearer and Wool Handler Trainer for Primary Employers Tasmania, and delivers high-quality training for both new and experienced industry participants. In his role as trainer, Jack delivers shearer and wool handling schools, mentors those completing their rural traineeships with TasTAFE, visits schools to encourage engagement in the industry, and keeps those in the industry up-to-date on current techniques.
Jack regularly attends Australian Wool Industry National Consistency workshops with all other accredited shearer trainers. He is also studying to complete his Diploma in Agriculture.
In 2018 Jack was presented with the Bruce Forster Laincot Memorial Award at the Campbell Town Show in recognition of his contribution to the wool industry.
