Our board members:

  • contribute to our oversight of the post sentence scheme 

  • drive improvement of the quality and consistency of decision making 

  • support our work by engaging with criminal justice system agencies.

Full time members

Carmel Arthur OAM

Appointed February 2018

Carmel has a diverse background and extensive experience in strategic planning, integrated service delivery, and systems thinking in both the public and private sector. She has vast experience in the criminal justice system which has included working with the Courts, Corrections Victoria and Victoria Police. Carmel has great personal insight and a unique comprehension of the operation of the criminal justice system. She is not only a victim of crime but has also worked with many victims of crime and brings a wide perspective and breadth of experience from across the victim support system.

She advocates for better treatment of victims and their families through the criminal justice systems, and is particularly conscious of the need to keep the community engaged and informed about the justice system. She is also committed to finding the balance between delivering a safer community and supporting the treatment and rehabilitation of offenders through the use of effective and evidence based means by ensuring offenders take responsibility for their own risk reduction, through building the necessary human and social capital required to live a meaningful life in the community. Carmel is a founding member of the Sentencing Advisory Council, is on the Board of the Penington Institute and held the role of community member on the Adult Parole Board for nine years before her term expired in 2017.

Carmel was recognized for her services to the law, having been conferred with an Order of Australia Medal in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Carmel is the Chair of the Authority’s Strategy and Engagement Subcommittee.

Jeremy Cass

Appointed April 2018

Jeremy has strong experience in criminal law and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor to the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2003. He became a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Criminal Law Specialist in 2008 and an Accredited Specialist in Children’s Law in 2012.

Since commencing his legal career, Jeremy has worked at Victoria Legal Aid and held various senior leadership roles including as Program Manager Youth Crime, Program Manager, Appeals and Strategic Litigation, Senior Advocate Higher Court Appeals and Acting Executive Director of Criminal Law Services.

At Victoria Legal Aid, Jeremy led a team of appellate specialists who conducted case work and merits assessments for appeal cases; he was regularly briefed to appear as counsel in the Supreme Court of Victoria – Court of Appeal. Jeremy also had programmatic responsibility for the state-wide delivery of quality appellate criminal law services at Victorian Legal Aid.

Jeremy is also a legal member of the Mental Health Tribunal.

Jeremy is the Chair of the Authority’s Practice Subcommittee.

Dr David Curnow

Appointed October 2020

Dr Curnow is a forensic psychologist with over 20 years’ experience in the criminal justice system. Dr Curnow practiced as a psychologist in Victorian correctional facilities for 13 years, and practiced privately where he provided training and supervision to psychologists, and developed specialist training programs on violence treatment, white collar crime, and forensic interviewing.  He is also a Clinical associate with Swinburne University.

In 2014, Dr Curnow joined the Adult Parole Board as a full-time member where he sat regularly on the Detention and Supervision Order Division until its functions were absorbed by the Post Sentence Authority. Whilst a member of the Adult Parole Board, Dr Curnow built a detailed understanding of the post sentence scheme and he contributed to the Harper Review, which made the recommendations that led to the establishment of the Post Sentence Authority.

 

Sessional members

John Griffin

Appointed March 2018

John has been a member of the Victorian Health Tribunal since 2011 and the Director of the Board of the Sentencing Advisory Council between 2011 and 2021.

John has vast experience in the Justice sector and has worked as the Executive Director - Courts and Tribunals, Chief Executive Officer of CORE - the Public Correctional Enterprise and Victorian Director of Prisons.  Prior to his move to Victoria in 1988, John held the position of Deputy Director, Probation and Parole in the Department of Corrective Services in New South Wales.

John has worked across a diverse range of portfolios and has had extensive involvement in community, educational and government advisory Boards and Committees. This has included being a Board Member of Children’s Rights International, an advisor to the Cambodian and Papuan New Guinea Governments on criminal justice reforms; President of a TAFE Council,  and a former Chairman of the Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (VACRO). John’s contributions to the criminal justice system and the community have been recognised by the awarding of the Public Service Medal in 2002 and the Centenary Medal in 2003.

Dr Angela Williams

Appointed October 2020

Dr Angela Williams has 20 years’ experience in clinical forensic medicine as a Senior Forensic Physician with the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine where she provides comprehensive forensic examinations and medicolegal reports that inform investigations and contribute to the criminal justice system.

Dr Williams has designed international teaching programs on the prevention and response to violence and the medical assessment of child abuse, and she has appeared as an expert witness in criminal trials and provided evidence in the Magistrates' Court, County Court, Supreme Court, Children’s Court and the Coroners Court. Dr Williams is also a Senior Lecturer at Monash University in the Department of Forensic Medicine.


Meghan Butterfield

Appointed March 2021

Meghan was admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1997.  Since becoming a lawyer, Meghan’s primary area of practice has been in acting for survivors of sexual assault. She has also practiced in several other areas, including criminal law, general personal injuries and asbestos litigation.

In 2000, she joined the Springvale-Monash Legal Service (SMLS) where she managed the SMLS/ South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (SECASA) Joint Legal Service – a specialist sexual assault clinic. Meghan was also an adjunct lecturer at Monash University Law Faculty, where she trained and supervised law students and junior lawyers in clinical practice. With a strong commitment to the education of law students and representing victims, Meghan authored the chapter on victims’ rights in the ‘Lawyers Practice Manual’ for 14 years.

In 2018, Meghan was appointed as a legal member on the Victorian Mental Health Tribunal where she has gained significant experience as a member of the Tribunal that is required to navigate difficult questions under a complex legal framework. 

Meghan has recently undertaken her Master of Laws, focusing on human rights and health law. 

Katherine Byrne

Appointed March 2021

Kate began her diverse career in administrative Court roles before being admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2001. Kate initially practiced family law and child protection with Victoria Legal Aid, and then moved into a Legal Officer role within Child Protection in the then Department of Human Services.

In 2011, Kate joined the Department of Justice and Community Safety as General Manager of Community Services in the Loddon Mallee region where she had responsibility for leading crime prevention, victim services, consumer affairs and sheriff operations. Thereafter Kate led a team of clinicians delivering offending behaviour programs to clients in prisons and the community.

In 2016, Kate joined the Department of Justice in NSW as the Director of Community Corrections (Sydney South West) where she managed a large number of community corrections staff in six offices as well as oversighting the supervision of offenders subject to Extended Supervision Orders accommodated in residential facilities in her District.

Kate is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Access Australia Group, a not-for-profit organisation and NDIS service provider, leading a team of staff and volunteers working to enhance training and employment opportunities for people with disability, or experiencing disadvantage.

Christopher O'Neill

Appointed April 2022

Chris was admitted to practice as a lawyer in 1979. After 12 years working as a solicitor in general practice, he joined the Victorian Bar in 1991 where he practised in common law, including personal injuries, medical negligence, professional disciplinary tribunals, and Coronial inquests.

He was appointed a Judge of the County Court in 2007 and sat in both the common law and criminal jurisdictions. He was Judge in Charge of the Common Law Division from 2015 to 2018.

Significantly, Chris was Judge in Charge of the Appeals and Post Sentence Applications (APSA) List of the Court from 2019 to 2021. In this role, he led the Court’s work relating to post sentence orders.

Chris retired from the County Court at the end of 2021.

Outside his decision-making, Chris has had a strong and long interest in legal training. He has lectured at the Victorian Bar Readers’ Course, taught judgment writing within the County Court and through the Judicial College of Victoria, and taught advocacy in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. This demonstrates his commitment to sharing his knowledge and assisting others.