Our Team

Captain Matthew Jepson

Captain Jepson (Jeppo) comes from a proud maritime family, dating back to 1940 when his grandfather worked for BHP in Whyalla. Jeppo’s father and uncle got away to sea with Blue Star Line in the 1960’s and  also worked at Teekay. Jeppo’s grandfather is a life member of the Transport Workers Union, showing he has strong union roots.

Jeppo spent a few years working as a TIR on the Australian Coast for CSR Shipping from 2002 . He then worked for Tidewater on the Bayu Undan project, and a few projects on the NW shelf.

In 2005 the Bluewater called Jeppo back, so he went to work as an IR for Teekay Shipping. He worked on various vessel types with Teekay, completing Deck Watchkeepers in Newcastle in 2008 and Mates Masters at AMC in 2011. From there, Jeppo progressed to Master, an achievement he is very proud of.

In 2018, Jeppo left Teekay to work for Inco Shipping where he gained a few pilot exemptions and finally achieved his goal  being a Marine Pilot in 2021 with Poseidon Sea Pilots.

Jeppo’s first term on AMOU’s  Executive Council was as the Seagoing Delegate, he then became a National Councillor in his second term. Jeppo is extremely proud to be the President of the AMOU in his third term on the Executive Council.

Mobile: 0409 061 120

Email: Matthew@amou.com.au

Captain Brent Warhurst

Mobile: 0420 305 414

Email: brentw@amou.com.au

Captain Ken Blackband

Mobile: 0429 057 615

Captain Brent Middleton

Brent started his maritime career in 1998 on small commercial vessels before gaining a cadetship with ASP Ship Management and has been an AMOU member since gaining his 2nd Mate’s ticket in 2002. After 5 years in the Bluewater, he had the opportunity to join the RV Southern Surveyor and gain some great hands on experience. After a few years with P&O Maritime he transitioned to the Offshore where he worked with several companies on a variety of different ships such as ROV, survey, construction and AHTS where he have been sailing as Master since 2012.

Brent’s role as one of the National Delegates, sees him assisting and overseeing a variety of different areas of the union’s operation to help ensure that the member’s interests are served to the best of the Union’s abilities. He is sincerely dedicated to the continued improvement and progression of our Union and communication and cooperation at all levels between the Union and the membership is vital to this progression and something he works hard to achieve for the members at every opportunity.

Brent says, ‘With our industry in it’s current situation which has been so hard on so many, now is the time more than ever, that we need to stand up together and be counted. We have the qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience necessary to safely and efficiently service our homeland coastline and with an active Union that is moving forward with active members. We must all work hard and stand united to ensure Australian Officers are seen by all as the professional seafarers we are’.

Mobile: 0428 409 936

Email: brent.middleton@amou.com.au

Captain Brent Hills

Mobile:

Email: brenth@amou.com.au

Captain John McDonald

Mobile: 0418 948 887

Email: johnmac@amou.com.au

Captain Benjamin Miers

Mobile:0400577236

Email:

Position Vacant

Position Vacant

Position Vacant

Darryl Dorron

Mobile: 0417 749 594

Email: darryl.dorron@amou.com.au

Position Vacant

Ian Hughes

Mobile:

Email: hughes.ian01@gmail.com

Jarrod Moran

Executive Officer

Jarrod joined the AMOU in 2014 after more than 6 years with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) where he was the Senior OHS and Workers Compensation Officer. Previous to the ACTU Jarrod was employed at the Victorian Trades Hall Council as the Workers Compensation Officer.  Jarrod started his union career at the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance where he worked as an Industrial Officer from 1996-2000.  In 1997 he was part of the ACTU Organising Works program.

Jarrod has a wide range of union experience, from representing individual members in grievance matters to whole of movement representation in Federal Government forums.

Jarrod has qualifications in Civil Engineering, Unionism, Community Development and Management.

On 1 April 2024, Jarrod was appointed to the position of AMOU Executive Officer.

Mobile: 0417 316 370

Email: jarrod@amou.com.au

Tracey Ellis

Industrial Officer

Tracey Ellis has been a member of the AMOU since becoming a Coxswain in 2009 while working for Brisbane Ferries. She went on to complete her Master Class IV and MED III, then operated Brisbane City Council’s fleet of CityCats for about seven years.

Before Brisbane Ferries, she worked as Leading Hand Dining on Captain Cook Cruise’s M.V. Reef Endeavour which operated between Cape York and Port Hinchinbrook.

While travelling overseas, Tracey had a little bit of day work on Super Yachts in the US. She also worked as a waitress and loading car decks aboard M.V. Kaitaki, a 180m ROPAX vessel in New Zealand.

Tracey became an AMOU Delegate at Brisbane Ferries in 2013 and participated in two EBA negotiations before resigning her role as a CityCat Master and becoming an AMOU Organiser. Since joining the AMOU, she completed a Bachelor of Laws and was admitted to the Queensland Supreme Court as a Lawyer. She now works as an Industrial Officer for the AMOU and oversees the Offshore Energy Sector.

Mobile: 0427 204 738

Email: tracey@amou.com.au

Chris Claydon

Industrial Officer

Chris Claydon commenced work as an AMOU Organiser in 2022.  He was promoted to Industrial Officer in early 2024 after he completed a Bachelor of Laws and was admitted to the Queensland Supreme Court as a Lawyer.

Mobile: 0473 620 071

Email: c.claydon@amou.com.au

Daniel White

Industrial Officer

Mobile: 0499 318 578

Email: d.white@amou.com.au

Jengis Osman

Industrial Officer

Mobile: 0427 068 153

Email: j.osman@amou.com.au
 

Liz Jenkins

Officer Manager

Phone: 0409352712

Email: liz@amou.com.au

Chris Neiberding

Senior Industrial Officer

Chris started organising with the Student Union while studying at Western Sydney University. The issues being tackled then was lack of funding, course cuts, overcrowded classes and the then Howard Government’s attempt to abolish student unions nationally, which was defeated.  In 2008, Chris joined the Finance Sector Union of Australia were he organised and worked on campaigns around wages, jobs going overseas, and personal security of members in banks.

Chris was also a delegate for the FSU on the ‘Your Rights At Work’ campaign which is now said to be the most significant political campaign mounted by a non-party political group in Australian history and was a big reason for the Libs losing the 2008 election.

In 2012, Chris joined the AMOU as an industrial Officer and has worked extensively over half of Australia representing Tug Masters in Darwin, to Pilots in Hobart and everything in between.

Chris says, ‘I’m proud to work for a union with over a 100 years of history in representing maritime workers in Australia , but most of all proud to work with so many dedicated AMOU delegates without whom this job could not be done’.

Mobile: 0407 912 932

Email: chris@amou.com.au

Glenn Walsh

Industrial Officer

Glenn currently works as an Industrial Officer in our Fremantle office.

Mobile: 0438 408 901

Email: g.walsh@amou.com.au
 

Amy Conwell

Industrial Officer

Amy works out of our Fremantle office as an Industrial Officer in the Offshore Energy sector.

Mobile: 0499 495 712

Email: a.conwell@amou.com.au