Our Vision: An environmentally sustainable ACT, region and Australia.
Our Mission: To act as an independent voice for the environment and sustainability in the ACT, and promote community engagement.
Our Values: Transparency, integrity, independence, research, rigour, inclusion.
The Commissioner is an independent statutory position established by the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993. The Commissioner undertakes the following functions and activities:
- Investigating complaints about the management of the environment by the Territory or a territory authority; and issues relating to ecologically sustainable development in the ACT;
- Conduct investigations as directed by the Minister;
- Conduct on the Commissioner’s own initiative, investigations into actions of an agency where those actions would have a substantial impact on the environment of the ACT; and
- Deliver state of the environment reports (SoER).
State of the environment reporting has been one of the main roles of the Commissioner. SoERs have been prepared every four years since 1993.
Read our strategic plan.
The Commissioner must take into account the objects of the Act. These are to:
- ensure regular and consistent reporting on matters relating to the condition and management of the environment in the Territory; and
- ensure regular reporting on progress towards ecologically sustainable development by the Territory and Territory authorities; and
- encourage decision making that facilitates ecologically sustainable development; and
- enhance knowledge and understanding of issues relating to ecologically sustainable development and the environment; and
- encourage sound environmental practices and procedures to be adopted by the Territory and Territory authorities as a basis for ecologically sustainable development.
Dr Sophie Lewis
Dr Sophie Lewis was appointed as the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment on 1 May 2020.
Her most recent role was as a climate scientist at the University of NSW Canberra. She was also a lead author on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, which are used worldwide to develop policies around climate change.
Dr Lewis was named 2019 ACT Scientist of the Year in recognition of her research, particularly on weather extremes and how climate change contributes to events such as bushfires and droughts. In 2015 she was presented with the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS) Early Career Researcher Award for her work in climate science.
Her experience will bring a strong focus on climate change given her research background in this field, and her strong knowledge and connection to Canberra.
Previous Commissioners
- Professor Kate Auty
- Ms Ann Lyons Wright
- Mr Robert Neil
- Dr Maxine Cooper
- Mr Darro Stinson
- Dr Rosemary Purdie
- Dr Joe Baker AO OBE
Our Staff
Alongside our full time Commissioner, there is a small team of professional and dedicated staff employed by the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate.
Sean Grimes
Director (Environmental Assessments and Reporting)
Sean brings a wealth of experience in public environmental reporting and assessments. He has produced State of the Environment reports for the ACT, Victoria, NSW and south-east England. Sean was also responsible for producing Victoria’s 2008 State of the Forests report.
Sean has a background in aquatic ecology, with many years’ experience researching and monitoring the rivers and wetlands of the ACT and NSW. He has an Honours degree in Applied Science.
Miranda Gardner
Director (Complaints and Investigations)
Miranda is interested in anything and everything to do with the natural world. She has worked in the area of environmental sustainability in the ACT for the past eleven years, and before that in the UK. Her experience includes the government, private and not-for-profit sectors and has covered catchment and natural resource management, sustainable farming, water policy, volunteer and citizen scientist support, and most recently bushfire recovery.
Miranda believes that the whole community has a role to play in protecting the environment, having had her first experience of volunteering at a UK nature reserve at the age of sixteen. As well as many hours spent removing weeds, building trails and managing woodlands, for sixteen years she has also volunteered behind the scenes helping to run the organisations that support on-ground volunteers.
Victoria Herbert
A/Assistant Director
Victoria has worked and volunteered extensively in areas focused on environmental management, sustainability, and climate change. She is passionate about embedding effective practices of environmental management and sustainability across multiple sectors, and believes the best approach is through applying a socio-ecological framework.
Victoria has a Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability and is currently undertaking a Masters of Climate Change at the ANU College of Crawford School of Public Policy.
Serena Farrelly
Assistant Director
Serena has extensive experience in nature conservation, having worked on projects such as the development of the ACT Environmental Offsets Policy and supporting the ACT Scientific Committee in the review of Threatened Species Action Plans in the Territory.
During her time at OCSE, Serena has completed the Independent Audits of the Gungahlin Strategic Assessment and the Molonglo Valley Strategic Assessment.
Serena has a Bachelor of Arts/Science at the Australian National University, with majors in Sociology and Human Ecology.
Connie Leon
Project Officer
Connie is a Chilean biologist, specialising in environmental science. After moving to Australia in 2013, she completed a Masters in environmental science and then a PhD focused on the social structure of the “magnificent” white-winged choughs.
Connie loves studying and learning about sustainability, biodiversity conservation and the natural environment. She also deeply values teamwork, which is very convenient for working in the Office.
Vanessa Lavis
Project Officer
Vanessa is passionate about cultivating positive environmental change through community engagement. A lover of the outdoors with a background in environmental anthropology, Vanessa is particularly interested in the differing ways key groups interpret and assign value to the natural world, and how this can impact approaches to conservation, land management and environmental policy.
Vanessa has worked in multiple roles across EPSDD and been involved in several volunteer projects relating to bush regeneration. She has undertaken further study with the Australian Earth Laws Alliance and is currently volunteering for Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia. Vanessa is excited to use her skills in both traditional and creative media to communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences through her work with OCSE.
Megan Reichstein
Office Manager
Megan Reichstein serves as the OCSE Office Manager. She provides an invaluable contribution to the office, organising Sophie and the team.
Megan has worked for the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate in a range of roles. She has also worked in the Commonwealth and has had extensive experience in the private sector.