Criterion Conferences

James Maskey is the National Engagement Manager of the Police and Emergency Services Program at beyondblue, an independent not‐for‐profit organisation that provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health.

The Police and Emergency Services Program aims to promote the positive mental health of emergency service personnel across Australia and reduce their risk of suicide and mental illness through collaboration between agencies, unions, peak bodies and government departments.

A graduate of the Bond University Law Faculty and Griffith University Department of Humanities, James is also a retired front-line Queensland Police Officer with a service history including General Duties, The Police Citizen’s Youth Club and the highly regarded Child Protection & Investigation Unit. During the course of his duties, James responded to countless critical incidents, murders, suicides, home invasions, domestic violence incidents, fatal traffic crashes and serious sexual assaults.

Constant exposure to these critical incidents negatively impacted James’ mental health and in 2013 James was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In 2015, James made the difficult but empowering decision to resign from the Queensland Police Service in an effort to reclaim his mental health.

James is incredibly passionate about changing the stigma that surrounds mental health, raising the profile of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and empowering those who suffer from the debilitating mental health challenges to seek the support of professionals who can help them recover.

Andrew Crisp APM is Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner. The Emergency Management Commissioner has overall responsibility for coordination before, during and after major emergencies, including the management of consequences of an emergency.

Andrew has almost 40 years’ policing experience in roles focused on community safety across metropolitan and regional Victoria and overseas, including key emergency management leadership positions, such as the Assistant Commissioner of State Emergencies and Security Command. During this time, he has been involved in the response to a number of major incidents, such as the Ash Wednesday Bushfires, the 2009 Victorian Bushfires, Christchurch earthquake and Queensland floods.

Prior to his role as the former Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations, Andrew’s responsibilities included a specialist command that focused on counterterrorism, countering violent extremism, critical infrastructure protection and emergency management coordination.

Andrew has worked closely with fire agencies and other emergency management agencies and departments for a number of years. He has also been a member of the State Emergency Management Team and the State Coordination Team.

Tony Walker is Chief Executive Officer of Ambulance Victoria. He has over 30 years’ experience working in a range of senior clinical governance, education and operational roles and holds an adjunct appointment as Associate Professor in the College of Health and Biomedicine at Victoria University. Tony is a Fellow of Paramedics Australasia, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and Board member of the Emergency Services Foundation, the Council of Ambulance Authorities and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. He is a recipient of the Ambulance Service Medal (ASM) for his contribution to the development of ambulance services at a state and national level.