Committee Members

Gen McAulay - President
Genevieve has been a rural journalist for many years spending the majority of her career at Rural Press Queensland. She has a Bachelor of Arts from USQ majoring in Journalism and Literature. In 2006 she saw an opportunity to learn new skills and take on new challenges accepting the role of State Marketing Manager Qld/NT with Rabobank. Genevieve believes the Rural Press Club has become a well respected forum and plays an integral role in bringing issues relating to rural Australia to the forefront. Phone 07 31151812 or email gen.mcaulay@rabobank.com
Read the President's Report here

Lisa Palu - Vice President
Lisa, an agricultural science graduate from The University of Queensland, has spent the past two and a half decades working in agricultural extension, rural media, and as a policy advisor to State and Federal Government Ministers and farm organisations in QLD and NSW. She is currently the Manager, Public Affairs and Communication for CSIRO Livestock Industries and remains involved in growing cane and custard apples on her family's farm at Bundaberg. Lisa is passionate about ensuring a future for family farming and as a rural reporter for ABC Radio between 1989 and 2003, championed many rural community initiatives. Phone 3214 2960 or email lisa.palu@csiro.au

Margie Milgate - Secretary
Margie has been involved with the Rural Press Club since arriving in Brisbane from country NSW in 1992. Working in the fruit & vegetable industry, Margie appreciates the role of the Rural Press Club to add to the current debates in rural industry and highlight the successes and challenges of our dynamic rural industries to a wider audience. Margie works for Growcom in the Land & Water team and is heavily involved in working with growers across the State on such issues as soil health, water quality, reef, climate change, regional planning. She was recently elected to the board of SEQ Catchments. At home in Brisbane Margie is involved with the Norman Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee. Phone 0412 928 624 or email mmilgate@growcom.com.au

Brad Weatherston - Treasurer
Brad was born and raised in the Wide Bay district of Queensland and joined the banking industry in 1972. Brad joined Suncorp in November 2002 as an Agribusiness Manager in Brisbane, a role that he still holds today. Suncorp Agribusiness is a long time supporter of the Rural Press Club and Brad has been an active participant to the club’s monthly functions and events for the past 6 years. Brad joined the committee of the Rural Press Club in 2007. Phone 3362 1871 or email brad.weatherston@suncorp.com.au

Rodney Bell
Rodney is a specialist property lawyer and partner at McCullough Robertson Lawyers in Brisbane. He has over 25 years experience advising on acquisition, development, disposal and leasing of commercial and rural property. He has also been a director for more than 10 years on public companies involved in agribusiness.
He is involved in the cattle industry as part owner of a central Queensland property and has an active interest in numerous rural issues. Phone 3233 8936 or email rbell@mccullough.com.au

Gordon Collie
Gordon is a long term supporter of the Rural Press Club and is president of the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists. He has held a number of RPC executive positions over the years, including a stint at treasurer. When the club was revived in 2000 Gordon was elected president, and now serves as an ex-officio committee member. He was rural journalist with Queensland Country Life and The Courier-Mail for 25 years before setting up the specialist media consultancy Agri-Prose in 1999. Ph 3856 3614 or email gordon@agriprose.com.au

Lisa Yorkston
Lisa has worked in rural media and communications for more than 10 years and is currently with the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee in Toowoomba. She was formerly with the North West Star in Mount Isa, Queensland Country Life as the paper’s Emerald-based journalist, editor of Rural Weekly in Toowoomba and a media and publications officer with AgForce. Phone 0427 076 446 or email LisaY@qmdc.org.au

Pip Courtney
Pip grew up in Tasmania and studied politics at the University of Tasmania. After graduating she joined the ABC in Hobart in 1986, where she worked in radio and then television news. Pip joined ‘Landline' in 1993 working out of Canberra and then Melbourne. In 2000 she defected to the 7.30 Report, but came back to the Landline stable in 2001 when she moved to head office in Brisbane. Pip's won awards for rural, business, environmental, medical and education reporting. In 2007 Pip and former Landline presenter Sally Sara were named Queensland journalists of the year for a feature story on depression in the bush called “Black Dog”.

Rebeccca Jennings
Bec was raised on a beef cattle property at Jackson, Qld, and studied Journalism at UQ as a pathway to combining her love of writing and agriculture. She spent six years as a regional/rural journalist, firstly at the Gatton Star followed by four years with Queensland Country Life, including three as Livestock Editor. In February 2009, Bec took up the role of media and publications officer with AgForce, and in October 2009 was appointed media and communications manager. In her “spare time” Bec is completing her Masters in Agribusiness through UQ Gatton with a focus on marketing and supply chain management. Contact Bec on 0418 733 102 or email jenningsr@agforceqld.org.au

Kate Wilcock
Kate joins the Rural Press Club as a journalist for the Albert & Logan News, for Quest Newspapers in Brisbane. Prior to that Kate was with the Queensland Country Life, working as a reporter and section editor and travelled regularly across Queensland covering rural issues and events. Kate studied at USQ in Toowoomba, majoring in journalism and has worked on stonefruit and apple orchards, Thoroughbred studs, and her parents’ former sheep property. Kate is an avid supporter of all Queensland produce but especially the Granite Belt’s Verdelho wines! Call Kate on 07 3826 2681 or email: wilcockk@qst.newsltd.com.au