Professor Rob Skinner awarded AM
On behalf of the CRCWSC and the entire water industry, I congratulate Professor Rob Skinner on being awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to environmental water management.
Among his many commitments, Rob is the Deputy Chair of the CRCWSC, Professorial Fellow and Director of Monash Water Sensitive Cities at the Monash Sustainable Development Institute and, as my colleague Professor Rod Glover said, he is also ‘a giant in the world of water reform’. Our Chair, Cheryl Batagol, put it perfectly too when she said: ‘No one has done more for sustainable water management across utilities, academia and international aid’.
Rob’s list of contributions to water and the environment is long and impressive. He is Chair of WaterAid Australia and Chair of WaterAid International. In 2019 Rob was recognised by UN-Water as the official contact point in Australia for Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). He is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Water Association and Chair of the Association’s Cities of the Future Program.
Rob is also Deputy Chair of Yarra Valley Water, and Director of the International Centre of Excellence for Water Resources Management. He leads the Victorian Government’s new Metropolitan and Regional Water Forums, is Chair of the Victorian Resilient Cities and Towns Reference Group, and Chair of the Victorian Integrated Water Management Reference Group.
From 2005 to 2011, Rob was Managing Director of Melbourne Water, during which time he initiated collaborative relationships between Melbourne Water and agencies in Singapore, the United Kingdom, Israel and Timor Leste. Before this, Rob was Chief Executive Officer of the Kingston Council where he held key positions in the water sector as chairman or member of boards or government advisory committees.
Rob is a past board member of the Water Services Association of Australia, has served as Director of Power and Water Corporation, and has been a Member of the Australian Water Partnership Advisory Committee, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, since 2015.
Rob was four times Theme Leader, Resilient and Liveable Cities Program, Singapore International Water Week, and was Chair of the People and Culture Committee, Victorian Environmental Protection Authority from 2012–2017.
Beyond his many awards and achievements, Rob is a quiet achiever and a strong mentor to many of us, including me. He has been instrumental in guiding the establishment and operation of the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, both as part of the interim Board that established the CRC, and as a Director since it started operating in July 2012.
Our heartfelt congratulations, Rob. This award is truly deserved.
Tony Wong, CEO, CRCWSC