Meet Our Board

Rules of the Association 

TQA Australia is governed by the Rules of the Association. To download these rules, click here.
 
 

Nick Burrows - Chairman
 

Nick has recently left Tassal Group Limited after a 21 year stint at a senior strategic executive and Board participatory level as CFO and Company Secretary. Tassal is an agribusiness / manufacturing listed entity and the largest Atlantic salmon aquaculture company in Australia.
Nick brings contemporary, independent, strategic, financial, risk based and governance premised oversight to the TQA Australia Board.

Nick is a Tasmanian-based Commerce graduate of University of Tasmania (1980), a Fellow of both Financial Services Institute of Australasia and Chartered Secretaries Australia, a Chartered Accountant, Registered Tax Agent, Registered Company Auditor and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Nick has significant and relevant expertise to contribute to and assist the Board and Management in underwriting the prudentially managed delivery of TQA Australia’s Strategic Plan.

Nick is also currently serving on the Tasmanian Council of Chartered Secretaries Australia having previously been a past National President and National Council representative.
 

Allison Clark - Deputy Chair

Allison is the Quality and Innovation Manager at Houston’s Farm, a member of the Business Management Team, where she manages the Quality Assurance and Product Development Teams to ensure products produced by Houston’s Farm meet and exceed customer and consumer requirements.

Allison led the Houston’s Farm Environmental Sustainability Project which was successful in winning the inaugural 2007 Woolworths Fresh Food Grant.  This grant was used in conjunction with Horticulture Australia Limited to develop a carbon (greenhouse gas) calculation tool for the vegetable industry across a product’s life cycle. This standard was subsequently selected by industry stakeholders in October 2008 as the basis for the development of an industry carbon (greenhouse gas) footprint tool.

In addition to her TQA Australia Board role, Allison has been Chair of the Fresh Salad Producers Forum Technical Sub-Committee, and was a member of the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research Board from 2003 to 2005, the Tasmanian State Training Authority from 1999 to 2002, the Tasmanian Rural Industry Training Board 2000/2001, and the State Planning Group of Farmbi$ from 2001 to 2004.   Allison was awarded the inaugural winner of the Australian Primary Super and TWIA Encouragement Award in 2006 in recognition of ongoing valuable contributions to agriculture.

Outside Houston’s Farm, Allison provides input into the consultancy she founded in 2002, encompassing quality assurance, environmental management, food safety, occupational health and safety covering agriculture, shipping, wholesale, and waste management.

Nick Steel - Board Member

Nick is currently Commodities Manager with the Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association, a role comprising Cereal and Seeds, Dairy, Meat, Vegetable and Wool industries.
He is currently studying to finish a Graduate Certificate of Natural Environment Management at the University of Tasmania.

Nick also holds a Diploma of Business (Banking & Finance) and an Advanced Diploma of Farm Management. His experience includes roles across advertising, banking, finance, freight logistics and farming.

Rob Batten joined the TQA Australia Board in December 2010.   He recently left the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as State Director Tasmania, completing a 38 year career in a range of management and program making roles.   Rob has experience in building relations with communities, involvement in organisational marketing and strategic planning.

Rob is currently overseeing media for development projects in Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea and also owns and operates  an historic farm at Orielton in southern Tasmania.   He has been a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors since 2005 and was a founding director of Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Pty Ltd.   Rob also helped establish Australia's Open Gardens Scheme in Victoria and Tasmania.

After joining the ABC in 1971 as a specialist rural broadcaster, Rob was a reporter, producer and presenter on a range of radio and television programs.   At various times in his career he worked for the ABC in Launceston and Hobart as well as interstate and overseas.