Board
Chair TBA
Kevin Bates
Director
Appointed: January 2023
Qualifications: DipTeach (Secondary – Arts/Humanities), B.A., GradDipLabStudies, Masters of Industrial Relations
Experience: Kevin is a secondary school teacher and was previously a Head of Department who taught in Biloela, Redcliffe, Kedron and Dunwich in Queensland between 1987 and 1994.
Kevin was elected President of the Queensland Teachers Union of Employees (QTU) in January 2012 and served for nine years – the maximum number of three-year terms allowed under the Union’s rules. He previously worked for the QTU as Regional Organiser in South Queensland and Industrial Advocate between 1994 and 2011. Kevin has also served as the President of the Australian Education Union – Queensland Branch and as an executive member of the Queensland Council of Unions and the Australian Education Union (AEU).
In February 2022, Kevin was elected as the Federal Secretary of the AEU. The AEU represents 198,000 teachers, leaders and education support staff in pre-schools, schools and TAFE in all states and territories of Australia. The AEU is the principal union in the TAFE sector, representing around 8000 TAFE members.
Kevin is an Executive member of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and serves on both the ACTU Finance Committee and International Committee.
Throughout almost thirty years as a union official, Kevin has held various roles with responsibility for TAFE at both a state and national level. As QTU President, Kevin was the leader of the QTU TAFE Division for nine years.
Kevin’s extensive leadership experience includes working with institutions, systems, unions, peak bodies and governments as an advocate for and defender of TAFE at a state and national level.
Kevin is a Director and Company Secretary of the Federated Education Unions, a partnership of national and Victorian education unions. He has previously held board positions as a Director on the Toowoomba Trades Hall Board and the Australian Workers Heritage Centre (Barcaldine).
As a product of Queensland State Schools, Kevin is a fierce advocate for public education and the students and teachers it serves so well. He has extensive experience in education, and governance and advanced tertiary qualifications in mediation and negotiation.
Fiona Champion
Director
Appointed: January 2025
Qualifications: B.A. (Journalism)
Experience: Fiona is a senior executive with twenty years’ experience in Government, spanning portfolios including vocational education and training, health, and the environment. Fiona has held senior leadership positions at TAFE SA over the past four years and has a detailed understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the vocational education and training sector in South Australia, and strong networks across government and industry.
Fiona is TAFE SA’s Executive Director, Students Strategic Planning and Policy, and has previously worked as Chief of Staff, Director of Marketing and Acting Chief Executive at TAFE SA.
As Executive Director of Students, Strategic Planning and Policy, and previously as Director of Marketing, Fiona has gained a detailed understanding the diversity of the VET student cohort, the various reasons why students choose to study and the challenges they face as they work to complete their training. Fiona is a passionate advocate for consumer-led design and has championed numerous service improvements to bring about a better student experience.
Prior to her work in the VET sector, Fiona worked in senior roles in stakeholder, government and media relations, including at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, for the South Australian Deputy Premier and Treasurer, the Federal Minister for Mental Health and Ageing and the Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Through this work, Fiona has developed advanced negotiation and diplomacy skills, a close understanding of Federal Government, and an ability to forge strong, respectful stakeholder relationships.
Peter Daly
Director & Board Liaison Officer
Appointed: October 2022
Qualifications: B.E (Hons), MAICD, FITE
Experience: Peter has 20 years’ experience in senior executive and board leadership roles; developing and implementi