Principal Staff

Management Solutions (Qld) is based in Brisbane, Queensland. Our staff includes a small, dedicated and passionate team.

Kate Charters

Principal, Organisational Management and Executive Services

Kate Charters is a Director at Management Solutions (Qld) Pty Ltd (MSQ), a consultancy specialising in professional development, policy implementation and service delivery transformation with particular emphasis on regional and rural Australia.

Since founding MSQ in 1997, Kate has leveraged extensive senior-level experience in government policy and management to guide organisations in both the public and private sectors. She has led numerous organisational and service reviews across community groups, peak bodies, government agencies and tertiary institutions, always with a focus on strengthening the link between policy and implementation.

Kate takes particular interest in ensuring program integrity through the transition from policy design to on-the-ground delivery, and in building organisational environments where creativity, motivation and goal attainment thrive. Under her leadership, MSQ has offered capacity building, consulting and training services across a wide spectrum of sectors including regional development, sustainability, advocacy, public administration and organisational effectiveness.

Beyond MSQ, Kate has played a central role in national dialogues on regional Australia. She was founding Co-Chair of the Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) conference in 1996 and later served as Chair of its national steering committee. She has delivered keynote addresses and presentations at national events, engaging senior federal public servants, regional stakeholders and policy leaders on the challenges and opportunities facing regional Australia.

Her leadership extends to directorship roles in broader policy and investment initiatives. Since 2015 she has been Director (Policy) at Collaborative Investment Management Australia, and until 2022 served as Chair of the SEGRA Foundation.

Based in Brisbane, Kate continues to shape how regional and rural public policy is translated into practice and supports organisations to navigate the complexities of change, sustainability and governance in dynamic environments.

Research and Publications

Charters, Kate; Vitartas, Peter; and Waterman, Peter (2011) “Identifying and Communicating Current Issues for Regional Australia,” Journal of Economic and Social Policy: Vol. 14: Iss. 3, Article 2. Available at: http://epubs.scu.edu.au/jesp/vol14/iss3/2

Kinnear, S., Charters, K. & Vitartas, P. (eds) (2013) Regional Advantage and Innovation: Achieving National Outcomes. Springer-Verlag: Heidelberg. pp. 305-318.

Cockfield, Geoff: Charters Kate; and Saxon. Elizabeth (2013) Perceptions of the place of Agriculture in regional Economies: a scoping study. Available at: http://2015.segra.com.au/PDF/RIRDC_AgricultureRegions.pdf%20GCKC.p

Vitartas, Peter; Kinnear, Susan; and Charters, Kate (2013) “Supporting Innovation in Regional Australia – Perceptions from Regional and Urban Innovators,” Journal of Economic and Social Policy: Vol. 15: Iss. 2, Article 4. Available at: h p://epubs.scu.edu.au/jesp/vol15/iss2/4

Vitartas, Peter and Charters, Kate (2011) “Special Issue: Current Issues in Regional Australian Economic and Social Policy,” Journal of Economic and Social Policy: Vol. 14: Iss. 3, Article 1. Available at: http://epubs.scu.edu.au/jesp/vol14/iss3/1

Tony Charters AM

Principal, Consulting

Tony Charters AM is the Principal of Management Solutions (Qld) Pty Ltd (MSQ) as well as a globally recognised leader in ecotourism, environmental planning, and sustainable destination development. With over four decades of experience spanning government, private sector, and international consultancy roles, Tony has been instrumental in shaping ecotourism policy and practice in Australia and abroad.

He is the founder and principal of Tony Charters and Associates, a firm known for strategic tourism planning, masterplanning ecotourism in protected areas, and policy development. Tony currently serves as the Senior Advisor to the United Nations Development Program in Saudi Arabia, contributing to large-scale ecotourism initiatives under the Vision 2030 framework.

Tony’s earlier roles include Environmental Director with the multi-award-winning Kingfisher Bay eco-resort, Executive Director at Tourism Queensland and Executive Director of the Wet Tropics Management Authority, where he played a pivotal role in establishing operating systems for one of Australia’s premier World Heritage areas. His consultancy work has spanned over 20 countries, with clients such as the World Bank, UN-FAO, UNDP, IUCN, and the Royal Commissions for Riyadh City, Al Ula and Royal Reserves.

Tony has authored influential publications and convened more than 45 major tourism and conservation conferences, including the Global Eco Asia Pacific Conference. He has also judged prestigious international awards such as the World Legacy Awards and Tourism for Tomorrow for over 15 years.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2014 for his significant contributions to ecotourism and environmental education, and he is a Life Member and medal recipient of Ecotourism Australia. His enduring impact is evident not only in national policy but in global networks where he continues to mentor, lead, and innovate in the ecotourism field.

Dr. Elizabeth Saxon

Director, Consulting Division (Tony Charters & Associates)

Elizabeth Saxon holds a doctorate in sustainability assessment in tourism and has 8 years experience in sustainable tourism projects.

She has worked:

with ecotourism operators to develop sustainability assessment indicators and frameworks;
in the tertiary education sector developing and delivering undergraduate and masters level courses in environmental management and ecotourism;
at senior levels in environmental management in local government and;
in sustainable tourism planning and policy at the state government level

Elizabeth is currently Director of the Consulting Division at Tony Charters and Associates where she plays a key role in proposal development, project management and team coordination.

As Principal Tourism Analyst (Projects) she also provides specific expertise and input where required into:

sustainable tourism planning and policy;
environmental planning and policy;
developing triple bottom line reporting frameworks and sustainability indicators for tourism;
resource and environmental economics;
stakeholder engagement, advocacy and partnership development;
social research and impact assessment;
facilitation and mediation and;
environmental education, training and interpretation

Belinda Ha

Events Coordinator (Management Solutions (Qld) and Tony Charters & Associates)

Belinda Ha is the Events Coordinator at Tony Charters & Associates. Belinda is a Bachelor of Journalism graduate from the University of Queensland. Previously a member of the events team with The Queensland Media Club, she has successfully supported the planning and coordination of events ranging in size from 200 to 850 guests including the Queensland Election 2012 Leaders’ Great Debate.

As Events Coordinator for the National Public Sector Fleet Managers’ Conference and formerly SEGRA (Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia) Conference and Global Eco Asia-Pacific Conference, Belinda has developed a reputation for her customer focus as well as attention to detail in all aspects of event management.