HON MEAGHAN SCANLON MP
Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs

Meaghan grew up in Nerang, where her mum and dad owned a small business.

At the young age of 13, she lost her dad to melanoma and has since helped her mum care for her younger brother Callum, who has Down Syndrome. Through her experience, Meaghan knows how crucial affordable and accessible healthcare is – and that investing in medical research is vital. 

Meaghan understands the challenges faced by carers of people with a disability, as well as the difficulties associated with being a single parent. She is a strong advocate for people with disabilities and has worked as a Childhood Educator, supporting and nurturing children of all backgrounds as they grow and develop.

A lawyer, Meaghan studied at the Gold Coast Campus of Griffith University. Meaghan is committed to helping the most vulnerable members of our community – from women escaping domestic violence to those disproportionately affected by the legal system.

Meaghan is an active supporter of the tourism and sport industries and she knows that investing in these areas is vital to the Gold Coast economy as they provide local jobs for local people in Gaven.

Meaghan is passionate about ensuring we leave a better world for the next generation. The issue of climate change is what first inspired Meaghan to get involved in politics at the age of 14. 13 years later she was honoured to be sworn in as the youngest Cabinet Minister in Queensland history when she was appointed as Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs.

ALISON PRICE
Managing Director, SoilCyclers

Alison is the founder and Managing Director of SoilCyclers, mobile soil recycling, decontamination, amelioration and waste reduction contractors working across the construction, waste and mining industries.  

Each year, she oversees recycling projects on more than 50 sites, recycling up to half a million cubic metres of material, saving clients more than $5 million, taking almost 30,000 truckloads off local roads and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by around 6000 tons. 

Alison is also a Director of Circular Mine Pty Ltd, (an Australian and European consortium recently selected as a finalist in the BHP Tailings Challenge),  a board member for Austmine and the Waste Recycling Industry Association of Queensland (WRIQ), and former Director and Vice Chair of the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC). 

Alison was awarded the inaugural APC Woman of Waste award at the 2019 WARR Awards, and was the Australasian Awardee for the WE Empower UN Sustainable Development Goals Challenge. Along with numerous other awards, SoilCyclers received Silver in the 2020 ROAR Awards for Best Eco Product. 

JACKIE GARBUTT
General Manager - National Operations, Return-It

Jackie Garbutt is a founder of RDT Engineering and the General Manager of National Operations for Return-It, one of the leading operators of container refund points in Australia. She oversees more than 300 staff and partnerships with a diverse range of government, not-for-profit, industry and small business entities.

As a core member of the RDT Engineering team, Jackie contributed to the delivery of more than 60 waste and recycling projects globally over 15 years and owned and managed a successful retail business before entering the sector. She is also a mum, raising four children. 

That broad experience across business and operational disciplines has helped Jackie bring innovation and productivity enhancement into every corner of Return-It, from the introduction of an app platform enabling real-time auditing of every collection point for health and safety, to the development of collection points for schools.

Jackie is also active across social impact and personnel management, including delivering internally and externally on Return-It’s commitments to employing, partnering with, and skill development of disabled and disadvantaged people.

In 2019 Jackie was a finalist of the inaugural APC Woman of Waste award.