Two directors with community connections in northern Victoria have been appointed to the board of Goulburn-Murray Water.
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Lawyer Larna Tarrant, from Rochester, and community leader and farmer Natalie Akers, from Tallygaroopna, together with Andrew Cooney from Bendigo, will join Diane James (chair), Patrick McNamara, David McKenzie and returning board members Jonathan Koop and Kris Peach.
Ms Tarrant was on the board of Echuca Regional Health between 2014 and 2023 and served as chair in the past three years.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws, worked as a barrister between 2006 and 2013 and was previously a director of Morrision & Sawers Solicitors.
She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a qualified group fitness instructor and served with the Royal Australian Air Force between 1997 and 2002.
Ms Tarrant has lived on a farm at Diggora but now lives in Rochester with her husband Patrick — who is a firefighter with Fire Rescue Victoria in Shepparton — and their three children aged 16, 15 and 12.
She has been supporting the community through the flood recovery, and in her spare time enjoys being active with her family and travelling, and is currently learning French.
“Along with my community involvement and legal background, I bring strong strategy, risk and governance skills and experience to my position with the G-MW Board,” Ms Tarrant said.
Natalie Akers from Tallygaroopna.
Natalie Akers has a long connection with the water industry, dating back to unbundling water reforms in Victoria in 2005 as well as the start of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan debate in 2010.
She holds a Bachelor of Public Policy and Management (Hons), a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ms Akers has held several regional leadership roles including as chair of the Katunga Groundwater Community Committee (2015-16); as a community representative on the Loch Garry Review Committee (2023); a director of dairy company Murray Goulburn (2011- 17) and is currently a member of the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District Water Leadership Group.
She and husband Geoff live in Tallygaroopna, operating an irrigated dairy farm milking 800 cows.
They have two children, Lloyd (13) and Olivia (9), and in her spare time she enjoys gardening and showing horses, poultry and waterfowl.
“I bring hands-on experience as a Goulburn-Murray Water customer as well as 20 years of water policy experience as a policy adviser and consultant,” she said.
Asked about any conflict of interest with her other positions on water issues, Ms Akers said G-MW had a conflict-of-interest procedure, which outlines how private interests of board members are managed.
“G-MW also maintains a register of interests, which includes details of both the direct and indirect interests of each board member that may give rise to a conflict of interest.
“If a matter comes before the board that may give rise to a conflict of interest, I will remove myself from all participation in the matter.”
G-MW chair Diane James welcomed the new members and thanked outgoing directors Margot Henty, Marg O’Rourke, Dennis Quinn and Alana Johnson.
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