Board Members
Membership of Property Rights Australia is currently managed by an executive comprised of:
John Purcell - Chairman
John’s home for the past 48 years has been on the cattle property “Yatton”, situated on the Isaac River some 100 km northwest of Marlborough in Central Queensland. As an advocate for the beef cattle industry and a fairgo for rural Australians, John has represented country people in many different organisations for over 30 years. He has travelled over most of Australia. Additionally, John has travelled overseas extensively in these roles. John has three daughters and one son and 11 grandchildren. John and Mary were married in the garden at “Yatton” in 2001.
Ron Bahnisch - Vice Chairman
Ron has spent a lifetime on the land. After attending boarding school in Brisbane he went home to help on the small family farm which he later bought from his father. In 1971 he and his wife, Lorna, drew a brigalow block and moved to the Marlborough area with their three young sons. He was active in the Cattlemens Union, and since buying land with access to irrigation water has been involved with Fitzroy Basin Food and Fibre (board member) and is chairman of Fitzroy Barrage Irrigators Consultative Committee. He is currently a member of the Community Reference Panel reviewing the Fitzroy Basin WAMP. The three sons are all interested in the land. One son runs his own property but the other two are still working in the family business. Ron is passionate about Australia’s need to protect the farmer’s rights to produce without undue bureaucratic interference.
Anne Kennedy - Secretary
I was born and spent my early years in Tasmania and moved to South East Queensland in 1972. Scott and I have two sons, two daughters and one granddaughter between us. We divide our time between Coolum on the Sunshine Coast and our wheat farm south of Dirranbandi on the Qld NSW border. Scott introduced me to Property Rights Australia and the good work you do after he was issued with a tree clearing charge a number of years ago, which we are still fighting. I've had many years book keeping and general office experience, my last position in a legal office for 8 years. I'm distressed to see the rights of landholders being eroded away.
Les White - Treasurer
Raised on my parents cattle property near Marlborough. All my early schooling was by correspondence. Attended boarding school until Senior level. Attended Gatton College being successful in my studies for a Diploma in Animal Husbandry. Studied Science at Queensland University and later graduated from Dallas University-USA with a Science Degree. Managed a family cattle property for 12 years in Cape York Peninsula. Then joined the Animal Health Division of 1CI to continue my studies into Cattle Artificial Breeding. Transferred to the Explosives Division where I retired after 17 years as Divisional Technical Superintendent Asia-Pacific Region. I am currently working in the Real Estate Industry, operating my own Agency at Gin Gin. I have a deep passion and concern for the welfare of the Bush. Living proof “That you can take the boy from the bush, but never the bush from the boy “.
Phdeliah Grivas
Christopher Leeds
I am a cattle producer form south-west Queensland. I have lived at “Narran”, 120km south-east of Charleville for 22 years. I am married with 3 children aged 21, 18 and 16 years. As a fourth generation grazier, in the district, I have a wealth of knowledge, both handed down and from first hand experience in managing the soft Mulga country of the Wyandra district. I am passionate about preserving property rights to maintain a healthy, productive, sustainable environment so that 5th and future generations of my and others’ families will also have a future on the land. I am also a member of Australian Environmental Foundation, South West Natural Resource Management, Agforce and the National Party.
Sharon Lohse
Home for my husband, Robert and three children is “Springvale”, a cattle property at Brooweena, run in conjunction with our other property, at Warra. During the last 11 years, I have educated my children through Distance Education. We established a land care group at Warra, in 1998 and held many roles over a 7-year period, including project officer for three envirofunds through NHT for on ground property works. We became members of PRA early in 2005. Our first experiences with landholder’s issues were in the Land Court to gain a land-clearing permit that had been refused. This was closely followed by a 4-year battle to keep ownership of our leasehold property from the Qld government, which ended up in the Supreme Court. We were successful with our fight, due to the assistance of our solicitor. Through experiences gained, I may be able to assist other landholders with similar issues.