Honour Roll

Clive Hempel
Honorary Member - as at AGM 30 August 2019
Clive has had a varied career, firstly working for nearly 12 years with Dalgety Farmers a rural company in various roles of Sales and Accounting. This included the last 4 years as an Internal IT Auditor.
In 1992 he started his career in Local Government and in the next 9 years worked at the District Council of Hawker, Lamaroo, Victor Harbor and the Town of Gawler. He was approached in 2001 by IT Vision a provider of Local Government software and there he spent 7 years as their Senior Financial Consultant.
Eager to once again work for Local Government he commenced working for the Wakefield Regional Council in 2008 and has since been employed for the past 2 years as the Director of Corporate and Financial Services at the Mid Murray Council. In total this means that he has either worked for Local Government or in association with the Local Government sector for the past 27 years.
Clive has been a member of the FMG for 16 years and has been on the Executive Committee for the past 10 years. During his time he has taken on the roles of Secretary, Vice President and President as well as contributed to the following working and reference groups:
- Grants Commission
- Dog & Cat Management
- Seminar Committee
- Website & Newsletter
- Financial Management Framework
- Costings Principals

Mick Wetherall
Honorary Member - as at AGM 31 August 2018
Following 8 years in the banking industry Mick commenced his Local Government career in April 1987 with the City of Port Adelaide. Mick undertook a variety of roles ranging from administering a nursing home/hostel, budget accountant, asset management accountant and finance manager.
Mick joined the FMG in 2008 and since that time has worked on the following committees and groups:
- Seminars & conferences
- Asset Management
- Internal Controls & Risk Management
- Rating & Valuations
- Valuer General Consultative Committee
- Financial Management Framework
Mick resigned from his position at the City of Port Adelaide Enfield effective end of July 2019 after taking some well deserved long service leave.

Simon Zbierski
Honorary Member - as at AGM 25 August 2017
After commencing his career in Local Government back in 1998, Simon joined the FMG Executive Committee temporarily in 2005 to cover his boss’ maternity leave, which provided great exposure to the benefits of being part of the Group. In 2010 he joined the group on a more permanent basis as a general committee member. In 2013 he was tapped on the shoulder to take on the role of Vice President before becoming President 2 years later, serving in this role from 2014 to 2016.
Across his years of service, Simon has contributed to the following FMG working groups:
- Seminar Committee
- Membership & Communication
- Long Term Financial Plan
- Internal Controls & Risk Management
- Financial Management Framework
- Asset Management
- Rating & Valuation
Simon has also represented the FMG on the DACO (Dogs and Cats Online) project group.

Nicola Tinning
Honorary Member - as at AGM 26 August 2016
Nicola commenced on the FMG Executive Committee in 2004, she has been an active advocate for the group over many years which includes the role of Secretary for a couple of terms. Whilst not a current member of the Executive Committee, Nicola remains a member of the Seminar Workgroup, a role she thoroughly enjoys. In recent times Nicola has presented twice at FMG conferences, and has been involved in a number of initiatives such as the:
- development of model financial statements;
- review of financial indicators;
- development of financial internal controls framework; and
- financial management.
Nicola has also participated in the development and review of a number of information papers prepared by the LGA.
Nicola hopes to continue her role with the Seminar Workgroup and will remain a strong advocate of the FMG, but it is now time for another member from Unley to gain the benefit and support of being part of the Executive Committee of such an active and well respected Group.

Annette Martin
Life Member – as at AGM 28 August 2015
Annette commenced on the FMG Executive during November 1999, later filling the Secretary and Vice President roles for a number of years. From 2010 to 2014 she became the Group’s longest serving President.
Annette was and still is a member of a number of the FMG’s working groups and has been involved in key projects such as the:
- development of model financial statements
- financial indicators
- review of the Grants Commission methodology
- development of financial internal controls framework
- fees and charges
- financial management
- long term financial plan
- and participated in the development and review of a number of information papers prepared by the LGA.
As Chair of the Internal controls working group, Annette led the team in developing the Better Practice Model for Internal Financial Controls. This project was awarded the LGMA’s 2013 Excellence Award for Leadership in Financial Management.

David Hope
Honorary Member - as at AGM 22 August 2014
During the year, the FMG Committee considered and endorsed the sole nomination it received for Honorary Membership. In accordance with the Group’s Membership Policy, Honorary Membership is available to any individual who has made a significant contribution to the SALGFMG, both members and non members are eligible. This year, the Group has granted honorary membership to David Hope.
In this time on the Committee, David was:
- Involved in the formation of the Financial Management Group back in 1989
- The inaugural Secretary from 1989 to 1991
- Served as President from 1991 to 1993
- While on the Executive of the FMG, David was appointed Deputy Chair and then Chair of the LG Accounting Committee (an LGA appointment) during the implementation phase of AAS27
- After the implementation of AAS27 in the late 90’s David resigned from the Group, but returned again in 2013.
David has also served as a:
- Member of CPA Australia’s Public Sector Centre of Excellence (PSCoE) from 1993 to 2003, including 2 years as Deputy Chair then 3 years as Chair.
- Divisional Councillor of CPA Australia in South Australia and Queensland
- Divisional Councillor of the LGMA in South Australia.

John Wright
Honorary Member – as at AGM 30 August 2013
John is retiring from the SA public sector next week after 46 years service and currently serves on the Audit Committee of two Government Boards.
John has been a passionate supporter of improving financial management in the Local Government sector.
Over the last 15 years, he has played a key role in a range of initiatives in close collaboration with the FMG (commencing with major changes to the financial management and rating provisions of the Local Government Act when the Act was completely re-written in the late 1990's).
John is unusual in that he is employed by the Department of Treasury and Finance, but, for the last 8 years, effectively has been outsourced for a significant part of his time to the former Office for State/Local Government Relations (OSLGR) and the LGA - to work on Local Government financial sustainability and related reforms.
John has worked particularly closely and successfully with the FMG on the Local Government Financial Indicators, the Model Financial Statements, the Financial Management Regulations, and the current push for Local Government fees and charges to be set at levels to recover the full cost of related Council services.
Over many years, supported by funding made available by OSLGR, LGA and the Commonwealth, John has also worked closely with many small rural councils to provide them with capacity to participate more fully in a range of financial reform initiatives.

Cleve Coyle
HONORARY MEMBER – AS AT AGM 31 AUGUST 2012
Cleve joined South Australian Local Government in 1989 as the Management Accountant for the City of Unley and became a Committee Member of the Local Government Financial Management Group (FMG) soon after it was formed. He was a Committee Member for around 14 years, serving as the Secretary/Vice President for about eight years and President for two years.
He worked on many projects and found it rewarding being part of a team where everyone contributed to advancing the objectives of the FMG. Because Committee Members had full time workloads there were many breakfast and after hour’s meetings to discuss Committee work. He found the benefit was not all one way because he and his council were kept up to date with the latest developments in Local Government and the FMG was influential in guiding many new initiatives that were being introduced such as AAS27.
Cleve left the Committee in 2003 when he travelled to South Africa to assist their National Government in reforming South African Local Government. He remained a member of the FMG during this time (4.5 years) and used his experience with the Group to assist forming a similar group in South Africa. When he returned to South Australia in 2007 he set up his own business and it was not long before he was undertaking projects for the FMG and in particular worked on the internal control framework and pilot projects undertaken in rural councils.

Justin Commons
LIFE MEMBER – AS AT AGM 26 AUGUST 2011
Justin was a member of FMG executive for 6 years, 3 of those as president commencing in 2002. Justin’s term on the Executive especially as President was at the time of the LGA Financial Sustainability Inquiry and the 68 recommendations which at the time, he provided leadership, involvement in, or responsibility for, significant change that emanated from those Inquiry Recommendations.
He was involved in or had oversight of projects such as:
- SA Local Government Price Index
- Long Term Financial Plan Spreadsheet (various iterations)
- Financial Management Framework
- Model Set of Annual Financial Statements
- Financial sustainability performance indicators
- Development of the FMG Website
- Infrastructure and Asset Management Plan templates
He gave Presentations at CPA Graduate Careers Conferences and Careers and Employment Expos promoting Local Government’s “Shape Your World” opportunities to over 500 graduate and/near graduate Accountants.
He established strong relations with the LGA, Office LG/State relations and LG Corporate Services during this reform period as well as forging a relationship with the LGMA to provide establish a Joint Professional Secretariat. Justin Commons as President left very big shoes to fill.

Peter Fairlie-Jones
LIFE MEMBER – AS AT AGM 26 AUGUST 2011
Peter was an inaugural member of the FMG Executive back when it started in 1989 and so have served on the Executive for over 20 years .He has served in a number position including President over that time and has provided leadership, guidance and support for a myriad of projects, particularly on asset accounting and management issues and more particularly worked on the steering committee of IPWEA for the Australian Infrastructure Financial Management Guidelines. He represented FMG on OLG/LGA Accounting Committee and the National Local Government Financial Management Forum for a number of years. He also played an integral part in the development of the LTFP model and financial sustainability indicators.
He is currently Chair of the Seminars group and has contributed to the high standard of our conferences, particularly the food and wine!
I think we can all be especially proud of the wine selections he has made and we have enjoyed over the years.
Peter is almost an icon in the world of LG finance and I trust he will continue with his role on the Executive for many more years.