NSW Committee Details
Julie Power: Convenor
nsw.convenor@animaljusticeparty.org
Julie Power's journey to animal activism and veganism first took hold when she was 15 years old. Walking past NSW Parliament, she saw a lone woman protesting with a poster of a battery hen. It opened her eyes to where the eggs she ate came from and she never forgot it. Later, the greyhound racing industry exposé drew her to attend a rally where Mark Pearson spoke. That was Julie's introduction to the Animal Justice Party – finally a political party she would happily vote for!
In 2018 a media story reported an overturned truck that had been carrying hundreds of hens. Rescuers were prevented from helping, and all the hens died. The devastation Julie felt for those creatures meant she had to do more. That's when she became a member of the Animal Justice Party.
Since joining, Julie has volunteered in myriad ways and held several key roles – as Membership Manager supporting the NSW Office and then as the Illawarra Regional Group Leader. She now lives in Dubbo, which is giving her even more exposure to the experience of animals, wild and farmed.
Michael Dello-Iacovo: Deputy Convenor
nsw.deputyconvenor@animaljusticeparty.org
Michael Dello-Iacovo joined the Animal Justice Party in 2016, and first became involved as a volunteer in 2018 with the launch of the AJP NSW Youth Wing. Michael is a PhD candidate in space science, looking at off-Earth exploration, mining and asteroid impact risk, and has training in geoscience and climate science.
Michael has been involved in animal advocacy and climate change advocacy in South Australia and New South Wales for 8 years, and was previously the CEO of international development non-profit Effective Altruism Australia. Including council elections this year, he will have run for office at every level of government, and is dedicated to campaigning for legal change for animals.
Desmond Bellamy: Treasurer
nsw.treasurer@animaljusticeparty.org
Desmond Bellamy is currently writing a PhD which is due for completion in 2022 in the School of Culture and Communications at Melbourne University, on the subject of human cannibalism and anthropocentrism.
Desmond lives in the Northern Rivers region of NSW and has several grand-dogs, cats and rats who live in Melbourne. Desmond has always been involved in animal rights causes and is a member and part-time writer for PETA Australia (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Desmond joined the Animal Justice Party in 2016.
Catherine Ward: Secretary
nsw.secretary@animaljusticeparty.org
Catherine Ward is the Secretary of the NSW Committee and is also the Secretary of the Animal Justice Party’s Sydney North West Regional Group. She lives in Parramatta with her four children, four cats and one crazy little dog.
Catherine's day job is as a librarian and she works in a suburban public library. Catherine likes to work behind the scenes, ensuring the Animal Justice Party is compliant with regulations and preparing for elections.
Catherine has always been an animal lover and became vegan in her twenties. She joined the party five years ago and has been an active member ever since, believing the best way to improve the lives of all animals is to get representation in parliament and laws changed.
Jason Alan: General Committee Member
jason.alan.ajp@gmail.com
Jason has been a member of the Animal Justice Party for a few years and a delegate and NSW Committee member for two years. Jason stood for the 2019 NSW state election in Barwon, canvassing in Broken Hill. He has worked in finance for 27 years and is originally from the UK.
Jason has been vegan for eight years, previously vegetarian for 22 years. Jason works across a few animal rights groups in NSW and facilitates collaborations between groups at markets, protests or outreaching events. Jason is a Country Liason for the Save Movement in Australia and founded several Save chapters in NSW.
Cathy Blasonato: General Committee Member
cathy.blasonato.ajp@gmail.com
Cathy Blasonato has been involved in animal welfare for 30 years. She has run as a candidate for the Animal Justice Party in the state seat of Ballina in the 2019 lection, is the regional group leader for Ballina/Byron and as well as being on the NSW committee she serves as a national delegate.
Cathy volunteers as a fundraiser for the Party in NSW and is currently on the local council committee. Cathy is a copywriter, a published author and is on the board of Soi Dog Australia and Patch's Animal Sanctuary. Her book Shanti's Story – A Tail of Love and Magic was published in the UK last year.
Heather Edwards: General Committee Member
heather.edwards.ajp@gmail.com
Heather lives in the Southern Highlands in NSW where she runs the Southern Highlands Friendly Vegans, a local social group encouraging a vegan diet. Heather also volunteers with NSW Hen Rescue and has fought coal mining and been involved with wildlife rescue in the past. Heather has always had a passion for protecting animals and has three rescue dogs. As a child she thought it was important to protect insects and has never been able to stand animal cruelty.
A vegetarian for over 24 years, it was a Facebook full of horrific, cruel videos that saw her turn vegan once she realised the absolute horror of the dairy and egg industries. If only she had known earlier. Politics is one of the ways to make change for animals so that is why Heather has been involved with the Animal Justice Party over the last few years.
Teresa Romanovsky: General Committee Member
teresa.romanovsky.ajp@gmail.com
Teresa has been living in Sydney’s Inner West for the last decade and has seen it grow, evolve and flourish. Since 2017, Teresa has been an active member of the Animal Justice Party. Prior to this she was head of cat rescue and rehoming for Maggie’s Rescue, rehoming over 200 cats and kittens during her time.
Teresa fights to show the NSW government that we will not accept their ignorance on animal protection, we will not accept their greed on overdevelopment, and we will not accept their inaction on climate change.
Ally Waters: General Committee Member
alison.waters.ajp@gmail.com
Alison Waters lives in a small village in the Northern Rivers. She joined the Animal Justice Party in 2016, after Mike Baird’s ‘backflip’ on the greyhound racing ban. Since that time, she has been a candidate at state, federal and local levels.
Alison is the manager of a domestic and family violence service, and has an academic background in social work. She has been interested in politics since childhood, inspired by her father who stood for public office in the 1970s. Her desire to advocate for animals was first nurtured during childhood by her mother. She has been vegan for 25 years, and is a parent of vegan children.
Alison has been an Ordinary Member on the NSW Committee since 2018. She is keen to support membership growth of the party and the election of the next Animal Justice Party political representatives. She is interested in exploring options for increasing diversity in the party’s membership and believes that it is important for the party to continue to mentor and support its young members.