Chancellor

Role

The Chancellor leads the governing body of the University, the Council.

Background

The Honourable Dr John McVeigh
BBus DDIAE , MBA Bond , PhD Qld

Born in Allora Queensland, raised on a Darling Downs grain farm and in Toowoomba, John attended Jondaryan State School, St Joseph’s College, and Downlands College Toowoomba before commencing his tertiary studies. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing & Economics) from the University of Southern Queensland (DDIAE), Master of Business Administration from Bond University and Doctor of Philosophy (Agribusiness Management) from the University of Queensland.

John’s early career included administrative, marketing and management positions in agribusiness corporations, the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. He subsequently co-founded an agribusiness management consulting firm and served as managing director for 16 years.

John served as a Councillor on the Toowoomba Regional Council from 2008 to 2012, holding the Corporate Services Portfolio and Chairing the External Audit Committee. He was subsequently the State Member for Toowoomba South in the Queensland Parliament between 2012 and 2016, serving as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 2012 until 2015 and Shadow Minister for Science, Information Technology and Innovation from 2015 to 2016. In 2016, John was elected the Federal Member for Groom in the Australian Parliament, and in 2017 was appointed Cabinet Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government.

Following his departure from Parliament in 2020, John was appointed Professor and Executive Director of the University of Southern Queensland’s Institute for Resilient Regions, focused on economic, social and well-being research for regional communities and industries, including agribusiness and energy. John also held the position of the Director of the Commonwealth Future Drought Fund’s Southern Queensland/Northern New South Wales Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and was Chair of Queensland’s Regional Economies Centre of Excellence.

Alongside other business interests and community organisations, John is currently Executive Director of Toowoomba Surat Basin Enterprise, an independent, member-driven economic development organisation actively linking the business community to opportunities across the Southeast Queensland, Toowoomba, Western Downs, and Maranoa Regions in agriculture, energy, infrastructure, health and education.

Anita and John are enormously proud of the achievements of their family Meghan, Kevin, Bridget, Annabelle, Marita and Tessa, and are now enjoying the years of welcoming their partners and the members of the next generation.