Electrical Engineering Safety Seminar

Shangri-La Sydney

Address: 176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

Phone: (61 2) 9250 6000

E-mail: sydney@shangri-la.com

There are two entrances to the Shangri-La;

• Via the hotel reception Cumberland Street, or
• Lower level entry via Gloucester Street

Complimentary WiFi is available for EESS attendees.

Connect to WiFi Shangri-La Internet and accept the Terms and Conditions.

Shangri-La Sydney Hotel offers valet parking with unlimited in-and-out privileges for vehicles up to 2.1 meters in height. For vehicles exceeding 2.1 meters in height, the rate maybe slightly higher.

For non-hotel guests, valet parking for over four hours (but not overnight).

 Wilsons Quay West parking station is nearby (2/3 minute walk from hotel)

111 Harrington Street, The Rocks NSW 2000.

We recommend referring to the latest timetables before using public transport, the best options are:

Train

Wynyard Station and Circular Quay Station are the closest stations, a 10-minute walk from the hotel.

Light Rail

Bridge Street station is a 7-minute walk from the hotel.

Bus

The closest bus stop is Lan Park, York Street,  a 8-minute walk from the hotel.

100 | 120 | 288 | 290 | 292

Ferry

If you choose to take the ferry, Circular Quay terminal is the best option. It’s a 10-minute walk or a 5-minute drive, depending on traffic.

The registration desk will be open during the following hours

• Wednesday: 12 November 8:00am – 5:00pm
• Thursday: 13 November 8:00am -1:30pm

Please see the seminar team for any assistance regarding sessions and the seminar dinner.

Camilla Palamo - 0450 556 321

Meg Peacock – 0428 601 046

The seminar dinner is for delegates registered with a ticket to attend the dinner

• The dinner will be held in the Grand Ballroom
• Pre-dinner drinks will commence at 6:30pm
• Dinner service commences at 7:00pm
• David Boon will join us as our  guest speaker for the evening
• Be amazed by DARE, at pre-dinner drinks
• Dress code is smart casual.

Please note you must have your name tag for entry to the seminar dinner

If you haven’t listed your dietary needs via registration, please let the team know as soon as possible.

For those with attending the dinner with a registered dietary,  your dietary tag will be outside the Grand Ballroom. Please collect your tag and place it above your plate, for the venue event staff.

There will be filming and photography at EESS.

By entering the event premises, you agree that Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has the right to use your likeness, image, voice, etc in publications, on their website and in marketing, advertising or related endeavours.

You also understand that you will not be compensated in any way for the use of your likeness, image, voice, etc.

Being on the premises over the two days (12 & 13 November 2025) means that you release DPIRD from any claims or actions that arise because of this production.

If you do not agree to the above conditions, please advise our seminar team. Arrangements will be made to ensure your requests are respected.

Will the presentation be published? Yes, the link to the recording and presentation will be available on our website.

Will we receive the Maintenance of Competence codes and breakdowns? Yes, at the conclusion of this year's EESS you will receive an email with a feedback survey, the survey includes the MOC QR codes and breakdowns. 

Do I need my name tag for the dinner? Yes

Will there be food on arrival on Day 2 of the Seminar? Yes, a light refreshment will be available with arrival tea & coffee, including barista coffee.

Have the dates for the forums and MSS in 2026 been announced? For 2026 dates please visit 2026 Save the date

David Boon, aka. ‘Boonie’ is a hero and a great Australian ambassador. He showed what steely determination and hard work can realize – the mantle as one of Australia’s finest top-order batsmen and close fielders.

Boon became Australia’s top batsman in the early 90’s with brilliant centuries against the West Indies, India, and successive hundreds against England at Lords, Trent Bridge and Headingly. He made 21 Test tons, none better than his 184 not out in the second innings of the Bicentennial Test at Sydney to extricate Australia from a potentially match-losing position. He received the player of the match award for that knock and was voted International Cricketer of the Year.

After his playing days came to an end, David became an Australian Selector and later, an ICC Match Referee.
Former Prime Minister Paul Keating said of his retirement, “When the team was up against it, we came to count on you to fight with skill and courage. Cricket fans around the world will miss the great character and talent that you bought to the game.”

My first magic book captured my imagination as a child. I quickly became fascinated with the world of trickery and entertainment. Before long, like a young Harry Potter, I was performing magic in the school corridors and sought inspiration from the street magic guru of the time, David Blaine!

During the school holidays, I spent my time busking and learnt some important skills in engaging the public and entertaining crowds at the drop of a hat, quite literally! I always had a passion for maths, problem-solving and human behaviour as a kid, all topics satisfied by magic!

I pursued my academic interests in maths and science to study a degree in electronic engineering. I subsequently worked for a global engineering company in their transport and aerospace divisions.

After some time working as an engineer and performing magic in the UK, I decided to follow my childhood dream of travelling the world performing magic and ended up in Sydney, Australia!

Once in Sydney, I quickly began to pick up work as a magician in bars, corporate events, trade shows, weddings and private parties throughout Australia.

I am now the resident magician at the Sydney Opera Bar and have performed roving magic for the likes of the Australian rugby team “The Wallabies” and corporate clients such as Telstra, Qantas, ANZ, PwC, Ernst&Young and Westpac.

I am approachable and work with every client individually to provide a personalised service that accommodates their needs.

I am easily contactable and quick to reply. When it comes to magic, I like to create memorable experiences for everyone I perform for with humour, charm and the cheeky charisma that makes me… Dare!

Anthony is currently the Chief Inspector of Mines for the Resources Regulator. Anthony has over 20 years’ experience in the mining industry and his qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering (mining) and a mine managers’ certificate of competency.

Anthony has held multiple roles in the mining industry across Australia, ranging from mining engineering through to senior leadership roles.

In his current role, Anthony leads a team responsible for regulating the NSW mining industry, with a focus on ensuring compliance with NSW work health and safety. 

Anthony lives by the value, "everyone goes home safely at the end of the day". This is a value he instils into the Regulator. 
 

I love you, Dad – The Dale Kennedy story shares a family's heartbreak after their son's preventable death while working in the ceiling space of a Cairns school.
 

Debbie and Dan are members of the Consultative committee for work-related fatalities and serious incidents, which was established to ensure there is an ongoing consultative forum for injured workers and families affected by a workplace death, illness or serious incident.
 

Kent is the Health, Safety, Engineering and Technology Manager for Bengalla Mining Company, which is part of New Hope Group. He is an electrician by trade, gained his Electrical Engineering certificate of competency in 2011 and has also worked in such roles as Electrical Engineering Superintendent, Asset Management Superintendent and Mobile Maintenance Superintendent. He is currently on the electrical engineering certificate of competency examination panel and the EL-023 Electrical Equipment in Mines and Quarries Technical Committee of Standards Australia.

Mark is a Director of Leadership & Performance Partners, a Hunter based company that designs, develops and delivers contextualised leadership and professional development programs for businesses across a range of industries including mining; construction; manufacturing; government; water and power utilities.

Mark’s leadership experience was forged during a 20-year career in the NSW Police, where he initially led surveillance teams supporting covert operations & criminal investigations. After specialising in the surveillance field for 8 years, he moved on to lead uniformed teams and strike force teams at Local Area Commands. During this time, he was a member of senior management teams and led the NSW Northern Region Surveillance Training Program.

After leaving the NSW Police, Mark spent 2 years working in the construction industry as a project manager, before moving into the training industry where he has spent the past 15 years. The last 6 years have been as a Director and Facilitator at Leadership & Performance Partners, since it was established with his Co-Director Ross Grace in 2019, with a passion and commitment to work with businesses, teams, and individuals to achieve positive, long-term results in leadership and associated skills & behaviours.

Jacob is an Electrical Engineer who holds a current NSW Electrical Engineering Manager for Underground Coal Practicing Certificate.

Jacob is General Manager of SET - Specialised Engineering Technologies.

SET provide full turn key supply and support for a range of innovative and Specialised Engineering Technologies which enhance safety, reliability and productivity in a variety of workplaces.

SET are a proud distributor of the Matrix IntelliZone Proximity Detection System for underground coal and OmniPro Vision AI Collision Awareness / Avoidance Camera System.

SET have been on a journey in the past 2 years installing the first Underground Proximity Detection Systems on continuous miners and shuttle cars in NSW.

Tristan Farrugia is a highly qualified Electrical Engineer with over 19 years of hands-on experience in the underground coal industry. Beginning his career straight out of school, Tristan has built a reputation for excellence through a blend of technical expertise, leadership, and a strong trade background.

He has held senior engineering and management roles across a range of underground coal operations, with a particular focus on Electrical, Control, and Automation systems. Tristan’s deep understanding of underground coal environments is matched by his commitment to safety, reliability, and innovation.

His work is heavily centred on OEM field service, where he leads and supports teams in delivering high-performance solutions tailored to the unique challenges of underground mining. Tristan’s dedication to the field continues to drive improvements in operational efficiency and safety across the sector.

Greg has 13 years experience as an electrical engineer in the coal mining industry - including underground, open cut and CHPPs in Glencore, Yancoal, South32 and GM3.
Since 2017, Greg has held the EEM role for Moolarben UG Mine, West Cliff CPP and Appin Mine.

Greg holds an EEM Practising Certificate for UG Coal Mines, is a Chartered Professional Engineer and holds qualifications in Engineering, Business and Law.

Wade Sabey is the Electrical Engineering Manager at Metropolitan Colliery, where he leads a skilled team focused on maintaining safety, compliance, and reliability at Australia`s oldest operating underground coal operations. With over two decades of experience in electrical engineering and project delivery, Wade has learned that progress in mining rarely comes without a few surprises, a lot of teamwork, and the occasional coffee-fuelled late night.

In this session, Wade will discuss the successful upgrade of the Metropolitan KOEPE Winder to achieve full TRG compliance. He’ll share insights into managing complex compliance requirements, coordinating with OEMs and regulators, and balancing engineering precision with practical site realities. Expect an honest look at the challenges, a few lessons learned the hard way, and how a collaborative approach turned a regulatory milestone into a safety and reliability success story.

Duncan has qualifications in aircraft instruments and electrics, aeronautical engineering and aircraft accident investigation with a Graduate Diploma in Engineering (Maintenance Management) and Transport Safety Investigation Diploma. Duncan completed his aircraft trade and university studies with the Royal Australian Navy and has been an investigator initially at BASi/ATSB since 1995. 

Duncan’s early work was component technical examinations as part of an aircraft accident investigation team. In 2000, he joined the flight recorders team. In 2007, following his lead role in recorders download and analysis from a Boeing 737 in Yogjakarta, Indonesia he began cooperation with Indonesia in building a flight recorder capability in Jakarta including training of recorder staff. In 2014 he was an integral part of the ATSB MH370 search team first as the search strategy manager then operations manager. Duncan was the Investigator-in-charge for the tragic 2017 NYE accident involving the loss of a DHC-2 aircraft in the Hawkesbury River near Sydney.

Since 2020, Duncan has represented Australia as a member of the ICAO Flight Recorder Specific Working Group. He is currently a Senior Transport Safety Investigator embedded in the ATSB’s Data Recovery and Performance Team located in Canberra.

I have worked in the mining industry since 2005 starting as a Cadet for the NSW Mines Rescue Service. This job kick-started my passion of further pursuing a career in the mining industry, through my time with the MRS I gained a wealth of knowledge in health and safety, rescue, emergency preparedness and associated technical apparatus knowledge.

In 2007 I commenced employment with Coal Mines Technical Services (CMTS), in this role I completed my trade in Electrical Instrumentation followed by a Diploma in Laboratory Technology (Specialising in Chemistry and Forensics) and a Diploma of Management. This technical grounding helped me excel in my profession as a Technical Officer, I have developed a depth of knowledge and experience in: atmospheric monitoring, calibrations, repairs, sales, training, auditing, quality management and much more.
 
My work has taken me to many different sites around NSW and QLD and through my time as a Technical Officer/Field Service Technician I have developed many lasting and sound relationships with all levels of personnel onsite.

My current position is based in Wollongong NSW, I lead a team servicing the NSW and QLD mining industry in NATA certification of gas detectors and repair and overhaul of electrical equipment for hazardous areas Ex’ia’ to AS/NZS: 3800, NATA accredited diesel engine emissions testing and diesel particulate analysis to the MDG29 guideline. CMTS also conducts NATA certified gas chromatography analysis, NATA accredited NIOSH 5040 method of elemental and organic carbon analysis (coal dust) and on filter quartz analysis (silica).

My goal is to help lead our team by developing our business into the best we can be, while focusing on delivering exceptional customer service to our industry.

Richard Robinson is one of the country’s most experienced and respected risk and due diligence engineers, sharing his knowledge and expertise in books, academic papers and with some of Australia’s biggest organisations. He regularly presents on the advantages of adopting the precaution-based approach to risk instead of the hazard-based process, which has been dominant in Australia in recent times. Richard Robinson is a career risk and due diligence engineer with over 30 years’ experience in industry.

Russell has recently accepted the position of Principal Inspector - Technical. His previous role with the Mine Safety Inspectorate was Principal Inspector – METEX. Russell has been with the department for over 5 years.

Russell has experience in coal and metalliferous mines and has worked in QLD, NT and NSW. Russell holds an electrical engineer degree and many different statutory tickets, he has also re-joined University and is currently studying Law. 

One of Russell’s key values in making sure people go home to their families every day. This is a passion of Russell’s and will be a main driver as the new Principal Inspector -Technical.

Tom is a partner specialising in work health and safety, employment relations and government focused law.

Tom acts for both private and public sector clients in relation to WHS Law, Rail Safety Law and Heavy Vehicle National Law. This includes front-end advice, responding to major incidents, enforcement and prosecutions, and internal and external reviews of regulator actions and decisions.

Tom advises and appears in Court and Tribunals in relation to the full spectrum of Employment Relations Law, including preparing and negotiating employment contracts, advising on employment structures and termination, dealing with issues of anti-discrimination and harassment, and commencing and defending litigation in relation to these issues.

A key focus of Tom’s practice is State and Federal Government. Tom understands the unique environment within which Government operates and applies this regularly with State and Commonwealth clients. Tom has experience in a wide range of Government specific law, including administrative and judicial review litigation, large scale restructuring of Government entities and the design and implementation of enforcement and compliance regimes. Tom commenced his career as a Senior Investigator for Commonwealth WHS regulator, Comcare. In private practice, Tom has completed secondments to the NSW Police Force and the Commonwealth Department of Communications and the Arts, in senior legal positions.

Luke is a chartered professional engineer who practises in the fields of electrical engineering, automation, remote operations, and technology integration.

Luke’s tertiary qualifications include a degree in electrical engineering and master’s degrees in business and technology. Luke maintains membership on the National Engineering Register, the RPEQ, and a practising certificate for the role of electrical engineering manager of underground coal mines in NSW. Luke is also a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Luke has spent a significant portion of his career in mining as an end-user having spent 17 years working at Glencore Coal Assets Australia, with his most recent role as their Principal Electrical Engineer for NSW-based assets. Luke entered private practice in 2019 by founding Quantum Engineering and Consulting Group where he currently serves as the Principal Engineer and CEO.

Quantum is primarily a technology supplier and integrator that develops customised electrical, software, and automation solutions. Quantum also acts as the global market-facing entity for the CSIRO-owned LASC technology suite.

Greg is an electrical specialist in control and power system engineering for hoisting applications, with experience in machinery safety lifecycle management and the operation and maintenance of underground mining plant and equipment.

Electrical apprenticeship with NSW Railways leading on to training as a Signal Electrician I/C of Section at several areas in the Hunter. Mining began as FIFO at an NT gold mine before securing a start in Coal and have continued in operational, maintenance, safety and engineering roles across several sites.

Eduardo Gie holds a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering (six-year program) from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has over 32 years of experience working with Danfoss variable speed drives, with specialised expertise in power electronics and electromagnetic compatibility, including RFI and harmonics. Eduardo spent approximately 10 years as Service Manager at Equitecnica SRL, Danfoss’ exclusive distributor in Buenos Aires.  He has also contributed to education through occasional seminars on variable speed drives and their secondary effects, delivered to students and professionals at universities in Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. Since 2002, Eduardo has been based in Melbourne, where he currently serves as Engineering Manager at Danfoss Pacific, leading the Application Engineering and Support Engineering teams.

Tim Webster has worked for Komatsu for 28 years. After working for Komatsu in the UK for 10 years, he relocated to Australia in 2006. He became the Engineering Manager responsible for Product Safety and Compliance for the underground mining products in 2012. Tim is the current chair of EL-023 and the chair of ANZEx Advisory Committee for JASANZ. Tim also represents Australia at TC31 and is the co-convenor of MT60079-19 (overhauls and repairs) and SC31J/WG1 (Underground Mining Installations). As part of this work, Tim also represents Australia on ISO TC127/WG17 for ISO TR 5757 regarding renewable energy storage systems.