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Keynote Panel - Drawing Lessons from Experience: Case Studies, Practical Insights and Innovative Approaches

Monday, July 14, 2025
8:55 AM - 9:55 AM

Overview

Moderator: Des Hosie Commissioner Steve Smith, QFES, Andrew Crisp, CEO Ambulance Victoria, TAS Police Commissioner Donna Adams, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens


Speaker

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Commissioner Donna Adams
Commissioner
Tasmania Police

Keynote Panel - Drawing Lessons from Experience: Case Studies, Practical Insights and Innovative Approaches

Biography

Donna Adams has been a police officer for 35 years and commenced in the role as Commissioner of Police and Secretary of the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management on the 11 October 2022. Most recently, Donna was Deputy Commissioner of Police for 15 months and prior to that, Deputy Secretary of the Department for 6 years. Donna has also been recognised with an Australian Police Medal for Distinguished Service and the Tasmania Police Service Medal for diligent and ethical service. Donna received a Commissioner's Commendation for her work in the aftermath of the devastating 1996 Port Arthur massacre, and has been recognised by the Australasian Council of Women in Policing as an outstanding investigator. In the Australia Day 2023 Honours list, Donna has been awarded with The Public Service Medal for outstanding public service through leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2014, Donna was the Tasmanian Telstra Business Woman of the Year and went on to become a joint National winner of the Telstra Business Women Innovation Award. Donna in her role as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management played a key role in leading the integration of separate policing and fire business and corporate services into a combined business department. In 2019, Donna was appointed by the Head of the State Service as the Lead Negotiator to resolve a long-standing pay dispute involving ten unions. In 2020, Donna was seconded to the Department of Health as the Emergency Operations Commander for Tasmania Health Services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Donna has a Graduate Certificate in Police Studies (2002), Graduate Certificate in Applied Management (2007) and a Master in Policing (2011).
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Andrew Crisp AM APM
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Ambulance Victoria

Keynote Panel - Drawing Lessons from Experience: Case Studies, Practical Insights and Innovative Approaches

Biography

Andrew served a distinguished 40-year career with Victoria Police where he held a number of senior executive positions, finishing in the role of Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations. In 2018, Andrew was appointed as Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner, a position he held for five years. In these roles Andrew provided strong leadership and was a calm, familiar face for Victorians during some of the most significant emergencies the state has faced including the 2019- 20 bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic response. In both his police and emergency services roles, Andrew is regarded as someone with sound judgement who builds effective teams that deliver positive outcomes for the Victorian community. It is important to Andrew that all voices are listened to, and that inclusion and diversity are front of mind when it comes to organisational culture and service delivery. Andrew is well known as a champion for multicultural and faith communities and firmly believes he is a better person and leader through those relationships.
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Des Hosie
National Operations Advisor
Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Keynote Panel - Drawing Lessons from Experience: Case Studies, Practical Insights and Innovative Approaches

Biography

Des Hosie is a career firefighter and 40-year veteran of the NZ Fire Service and Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Currently the National Operations Advisor for Safety, Continuous Improvement and Lessons Management based in Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s National Headquarters - Des has extensive operational firefighting and rescue experience. Through the AFAC partnership, Des has contributed as a lessons management practitioner on a number of major reviews in both New Zealand and Australia. He leads a Lessons Management Community of Practice in New Zealand called LessoNZ. Its function is to share lessons from incidents and exercises across the All of Government, Emergency Services, Defence, and key infrastructure sectors.
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Stephen Smith AFSM
Commissioner
Queensland Fire Department

Keynote Panel - Drawing Lessons from Experience: Case Studies, Practical Insights and Innovative Approaches

Biography

Stephen Smith AFSM is the Commissioner of Queensland Fire Department, an organisation of approximately 34,000 staff & volunteers. Stephen started his firefighting career in Queensland in 1994 and has served in regional and state roles in a variety of specialist areas before taking on the role of Commissioner in October 2023. He has extensive knowledge, skills and experience in emergency and crisis management, both domestically and internationally, with a particular interest in leadership and capability development including organisational level change, leadership influence, and the human factors that influence organisational behaviour. In 2011 Stephen was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal for distinguished service and success in technical rescue with outstanding commitment and drive in improving the profile and capability of the Queensland Urban Search and Rescue Taskforce.
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Grant Stevens
Commissioner of Police
South Australia Police

Keynote Panel - Drawing Lessons from Experience: Case Studies, Practical Insights and Innovative Approaches

Biography

Grant Stevens APM LEM, Commissioner of Police since 2015, leads South Australia Police, the government agency responsible for the safety and security of 1.8 million South Australians, across an area of over one million square kilometres. Commissioner Stevens is committed to technological transformation across all aspects of police service delivery, supports legislative reform to improve public safety; and has well established credentials in state and national leadership roles addressing organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime, family and domestic violence, sexual crime (including child exploitation), and road safety. He is a member of national policing boards and is the Chair of the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency.
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