Coup for MIL
Sharman Stone recruited on to board
Murray Irrigation Limited has pulled off a recruiting coup with the appointment of former Federal Member for Murray Sharman Stone as its second independent director.
Dr Stone, who served for 20 years as the Goulburn Valley region’s elected member, was officially appointed at a MIL board meeting in Deniliquin held Thursday last week.
Dr Stone announced her retirement from politics before this year’s federal election and had been a strong supporter of the irrigation industry during her career.
MIL chairman Mark Robertson said Dr Stone’s strong understanding of the southern connected system and the issues faced in the Murray region and neighbouring districts made her an outstanding addition to the board.
He said the company had undergone an exhaustive recruitment process to ensure they identified the right person with the right skills, experience and independence to join the board.
‘‘Sharman Stone is the right person to bring to the board at this time,’’ he said.
‘‘She has been a passionate advocate for rural and regional communities and irrigation issues.
‘‘Dr Stone is committed to ensuring the Murray-Darling Basin Plan genuinely delivers triple bottom line outcomes and to helping Murray Irrigation achieve its goal to become a modern, customer focused business.
‘‘With a PhD in economics, she brings independent expertise and understands the need for economic diversity which is evidenced by her experience fighting for the future of irrigation, orchardists and the valuechain such as SPC Ardmona in Shepparton.’’
Dr Stone said her goal as a MIL board member would be achieving profitable, sustainable agriculture underpinned by secure access to water.
She also said she was ‘‘honoured to have been asked to join the board’’.
‘‘It will be a privilege to participate in helping to ensure water stays as a secure and affordable farm input. Nothing is more important than the region thriving,’’ she said.
Dr Stone said identifying op- portunities to increase the participation of women in the region’s agriculture and leadership is another area she is looking forward to focusing on.
Dr Stone held a number of important portfolios during her political career, some of which should correlate with her new role with MIL.
She served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and later Minister for Workplace Participation. She was also Shadow Minister for the Environment and Shadow Minister for Immigration.
An academic and author, Dr Stone has written numerous publications on race relations, environment and geology.
She has a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts (Rural Sociology), and a Graduate Diploma of Education and was awarded a PhD from Monash University.
Before entering politics she was director of communications at the Victorian Farmers Federation, worked at the Victorian Rural Water Corporation and the Victorian Department of Agriculture.
‘‘Dr Stone brings a wealth of experience and a new perspective to the organisation and will add diversity to the board of Murray Irrigation and the region,’’ Mr Robertson said.
MIL’s other independent director is Ben Barlow from Corowa who was appointed in June.
Mr Barlow and Dr Stone replace independent directors Chris Badger and Robyn Clubb, who left the company in March 2016 and November 2015 respectively.