Professor Ian Plimer
Professor Ian Plimer (BSc [Hons], PhD, FTSE, Hon FGS) is Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne, where he was Professor and Head of Earth Sciences (1991-2005) after serving at the University of Newcastle (1985-1991) as Professor and Head of Geology. He was Professor of Mining Geology at The University of Adelaide (2006-2012) and was also German Research Foundation Professor of Ore Deposits in 1991 at the Ludwig Maximilians Universität, München (Germany). He was on the staff of the University of New England, the University of New South Wales and Macquarie University. He has published more than 130 scientific papers on geology and was one of the trinity of editors for the five-volume Encyclopedia of Geology.
He has published 15 books for the general public, the best known of which are Telling lies for God (Random House, 1994), Milos-Geologic History (Koan, 1999), A Short History of Planet Earth (ABC Books, 2000), Heaven and Earth (Connor Court, 2009), How to get expelled from school (Connor Court, 2011), Not for greens (Connor Court, 2014), Climate change delusion and the great electricity rip-off (Connor Court 2017), Green murder (Connor Court 2021) and a trilogy on climate change for children The little green book (Connor Court 2023). He frequently has newspaper and magazine opinion pieces published as well as chapters in books and is a regular broadcaster.
He won the Leopold von Buch Plakette (German Geological Society), the Clarke Medal (Royal Society of NSW), the Sir Willis Connolly Medal (Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy). He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and an Honorary Fellow of the Geological Society of London. He was Australian Humanist of the Year (1995) and was awarded the Centenary Medal.
He was Managing Editor of Mineralium Deposita, president of the SGA, president of IAGOD, president of the Australian Geoscience Council and sat on the Earth Sciences Committee of the Australian Research Council for many years. He won the Eureka Prize for the promotion of science, the Eureka Prize for A Short History of Planet Earth and the Michael Daley Prize (now a Eureka Prize) for science broadcasting.
He is Patron of Lifeline Broken Hill, Patron of the Broken Hill Geocentre, Patron of the Mineralogical Society of Victoria and Patron of the Mineralogical Society of Broken Hill. He chairs the Arkaroola Education and Science Foundation, a registered charity.
He was senior research geologist for North Broken Hill Ltd (1980-1983) and was non-executive director of listed companies on the ASX (CBH Resources, Lakes Oil NL, Ivanhoe Australia Ltd, Silver City Minerals Ltd), TSX (Ivanhoe Australia Ltd) and AIM- (Angus & Ross plc, Kefi Minerals plc) and was chair of ASX-listed Sun Resources NL and Niuminco Group Ltd.
He is currently non-executive director of unlisted companies in the Hancock Prospecting Group (Roy Hill Holdings Ltd, Atlas Iron Ltd, Hope Downs Iron Ore Pty Ltd, Queensland Coal Investments Pty Ltd, Hanrine Holdings Pty Ltd, Hancock Beef (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Hancock Energy [PB] Pty Ltd and Mulga Downs Pty Ltd) and chairman/president of unlisted companies in the Hancock Prospecting Group (Warrego Energy Ltd, Hanrine Exploration and Mining Ecuador SA, Carbelec Pty Ltd, Senex Energy Ltd)
A new Broken Hill mineral, plimerite, was named in recognition of his contribution to Broken Hill geology. A ground- hunting rainforest spider Austrotengella plimeri from the Tweed Range (NSW) has been named in his honour.
Dr Alan Moran
Alan Moran is a noted economist who has analysed and written extensively from a free market perspective. He operates from Regulation Economics.
He was the Director of the Deregulation Unit at the Institute of Public Affairs from 1996 until 2014 and was previously a senior official in Australia’s Productivity Commission and Director of the Commonwealth’s Office of Regulation Review. Subsequently, he played a leading role in the development of energy policy and competition policy review as the Deputy Secretary (Energy) in the Victorian Government. He has published extensively on regulatory issues, particularly focusing on environmental issues, housing, network industries, and electricity and gas market matters. Most of his many hundreds of press and blog articles, submissions, comments and other publications can be found on this web site.
In the case of energy his work includes responsibility for the Australian chapters in a series of books on world electricity markets, edited by Fereidoon Sioshansi.
His most recent book is “Climate Change: Treaties and Policies in the Trump Era” published in 2017 by Connor Court. He assembled and contributed to a compendium Climate Change: the Facts published in 2015. Earlier works covering the interface of economics and environmental issues include Markets, Resources and the Environment 1991 and The Price of Preservation 1993.
He has authored many submissions to Parliamentary and regulatory bodies on energy, the environment and other regulatory matters and has written extensively for the (Australian) Spectator and other Australian media.
Paul Vallejo
Paul Vallejo is an aerospace engineer who spend almost a decade as a systems and avionics engineer at NASA, Johnson Space Center.
He studied nuclear engineering as part of a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia.
Paul has since completed further Masters degrees in Behavioural Sciences and Economics. He spent time teaching tertiary courses in macro and micro economics – including a stint teaching to prison inmates.
Paul is an advocate of nuclear (as a safe, reliable source of) energy and has shared his views publicly at several Australian energy forums in recent years.
Paul fell in love with Australia while completing an Economics Degree at Sydney university in 2003. And he feels blessed to call Australia “home” since relocating (with his 2 children) in 2012.
Grant Piper
5th gen family farmer, self-replacing beef cattle herd + some cropping in the Coolah/Cassilis area.
Married 35 years to Annette, 3 adult children
BE(Aeronautical Engineer) UNSW 1986
RAAF Pilot flying C130 Hercules Transporter aircraft and then Forward Air Control
Civilian pilot, Instructor, Low Level, Aerobatics.
Chair of National Rational Energy Network inc, Uarbry Tongy Lane Alliance Inc, vice-chair CWOREZist Inc.
Anthony Alevras
Royal Australian Airforce radar, radio and computer technician (1982-88). Attained Advance Diploma in Electronic Engineering & Communications and Leading Aircraft Maintenance Engineer certification in 1989. Self-taught computer programmer.
In 1989 was involved in NEC’s Sky Channel national satellite receiver rollout network, mobile phone (9B) and project engineering division.
1991-1992 worked for Sharp Corporation Australia as an industrial product engineer with responsibilities in drafting product operation and user manuals, drafting technical bulletins and training technicians on product operations and repairs throughout Sharp’s dealer network in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Other responsibilities included liaising with Telecom Australia for product testing/approvals and Sharp Corporation Marketing Dept for new business product launches.
In 1993 founded EurekaMultimedia which became Australia’s leading and award-winning Australian educational software development company creating over 110 software titles distributed in retail outlets throughout Australia and New Zealand including but not limited to: Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Big W, K Mart, Target, Harvey Norman, Dick Smith, EB Games, JB HiFi and many other independent retailers. Selected software titles were also approved and endorsed by the Dept of Education in Canberra. In 1999 developed the world’s first 3D educational game (Mick Millenium – 3D Spelling Adventure series). EurekaMultimedia also held international offices in New Zealand, Hong Kong & South Africa.
Retired in 2015, but in May 2017 designed and then commenced building the 5-Star ‘Lake Oberon Estate Venue’ project finally completing it in October 2019. Lake Oberon Estate is a premium boutique venue in Oberon for accommodation, corporate events and weddings. It is also a 100+ acre hobby farm growing stone fruits, apples, pears and raising sheep on the foreshores of lake Oberon. The property was purchased back in 1997 without improvements.
Steven Tripp
Steven Tripp is an internationally published political commentator, with articles appearing most notably in the Spectator Australia and Facts4EU.org. Since 2022, Steven has co-hosted and produced the X-Candidates podcast, which aims to provide and uncensored platform to politicians, experts, commentators and community leaders to present their views. Building upon this, Steven launched Commanding the Narrative, a platform aimed at open debate and unfiltered opinions that focus on solutions rather than identifying problems.