Dr Tasha Prabhakar

Tasha is an experienced Director with over 20 years of experience in strategy, public policy, governance, program delivery and regulation. She has a strong skillset in road safety policy and reform, national transport policy and freight and ports, having held senior positions in state government bodies. A highly skilled program manager, Tasha delivers high quality public policy and programs, leveraging co-design with partners and navigating a balanced approach to safety and regulatory compliance with innovative solutions.

Tasha is passionate about safety and has appeared as an expert witness at the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into the use of e-scooters, e-bikes and related mobility options.  She was nominated as the Australian Expert at the Meeting of Experts to Adopt Guidelines on the promotion of Decent Work and Road Safety in the Transport Sector at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of the United Nations in Geneva.

Tasha has held key senior managerial roles at several organisations, including at Transport for NSW, NSW Department of Industry, and NRMA Ltd.

Select Project Experience

• Review of the NSW Local Government Road Safety Program (LGRSP) – Tasha led the work engaged by TfNSW to review the LGRSP, including extensive consultation, analysis and developing potential improvements.
• Maritime Safety Governance Review at Victoria’s Commercial Ports – Tasha led the work engaged by Safe Transport Victoria, Ports Victoria and the Department of Transport to review maritime safety governance at Victoria’s commercial ports.
• Reforms to Heavy Vehicle National Law Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (C-RIS) and Decision Regulatory Impact Statement (D-RIS)- Tasha led the project to assist the National Transport Commission to assess the impact of policy changes in fatigue management and to general mass and dimension limits for heavy vehicles.
• National Rail Action Plan and Governance– Tasha advised the National Transport Commission (NTC) on several projects for interoperability e.g. proposed governance arrangements, a Memorandum of Cooperation for Ministers and industry, and Interoperability Advisory Group.
• Tasha has held Senior Roles at Transport for NSW, leading policy reforms and direct experience leading the delivery of State Agency programs.
  • As a Director at TfNSW, Tasha managed the end-to-end delivery of NSW driver license and registration programs and services to achieve accurate, secure, customer-focused programs. Managed a team of 150 operational and technical people and $52M budget.
  • As a Director at TfNSW, led the development and delivery of Moving More with Less, the first NSW Heavy Vehicle Access Policy Framework to improve safety, environmental and productivity outcomes.
  • NSW Drug Driving Program. Tasha led strategic policy reform, resulting in the NSW Government tripled the number of mobile drug tests over 3 years, and first major State-wide Drug Driving Education Campaign.
  • As Manager of Road Safety Programs for Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area, Tasha successfully negotiated with all 42 Local Councils to implement a 50km/h urban speed limit in Sydney.
• Accelerating innovative Local Transport: Community Transport of the Future –Tasha was engaged by UTS Institute of Public Policy and Governance to project manage and direct key research (ITS Australia, UTS, government and industry partners with the iMOVE CRC).
  
• Inaugural Strategic Plan and Stakeholder Strategy for Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW (CCNSW) – Tasha advised and supported the CEO to develop the Strategic Plan in 9 months.  Launched by the then Minister for Primary Industries, with Crown Trust CEOs, heads of religious organisations, industry, local government.