Tribunal Members
The Tribunal has a President and Tribunal members who make decisions under the Act.
When the Tribunal holds hearings, it usually sits in panels of three. One member of the panel is a lawyer, one is a psychiatrist, and the third is a community member.
Tribunal members are independent statutory officers appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Minister. They do not work for the hospital or health service treating the patient.
President – The Hon Dr Andrew Lu AM
Dr Andrew Lu AM is President of the Mental Health Tribunal, responsible for the oversight and efficient conduct of specified functions outlined in the Mental Health Act. He has practised as a lawyer and mediator for 23 years and has been a partner and practice group head of national law firms. As a solicitor-advocate, he appeared as trial and appellate counsel before State and Federal Courts and adversarial tribunals on behalf of hospitals and health practitioners, insurance and financial services clients, and Government, in civil, coronial and disciplinary matters. He was noted annually in Best Lawyers and Doyle’s Guide as one of Australia’s leading Heath and Aged Care solicitors. An experienced adjudicator, he also served on the State Administrative Tribunal and the Reproductive Technology Council. He is an Adjunct Professor of Curtin University Law School.
Committed to good governance in the public and non-profit sector, he is a board member of SBS Corporation, Australian Youth Orchestra, and the Melbourne International Film Festival. He has also served on the Calvary Health Care ACT Human Research Ethics Committee, as a non-executive director of the National Gallery of Australia Foundation and Arts Law Centre of Australia, as a Councillor of the Art Gallery of WA Foundation, and as Deputy Chairman of Canberra Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber of Arts and Culture WA.
Dr Lu is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, ANZIIF, and the Governance Institute. Admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia, he has a Bachelor of Laws and a Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Western Australia, a Master of Laws from New England University, and a research Doctorate in Law from the Australian National University. He was named Diversity Leader 2019 by the Asian Australian Lawyers Association. Awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2008, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2021 for significant service to the arts, to the law, and to legal education.
Legal Members
The Tribunal has two part-time legal members, and thirteen sessional legal members.
Christine Kannis
Ms Kannis is a sessional legal member reappointed on 29 October 2025, prior to this Ms Kannis was a part-time legal member appointed on 29 October 2019 for five years. She holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and a Bachelor of Commerce, all of which were awarded by the University of Western Australia. Christine was admitted to practise law in Western Australia in 1981.
Ms Kannis is also currently a part-time member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and hears matter in the Migration Review Division and the Social Security & Child Support Division. Before joining the AAT she served as deputy chair of the Prisoners Review Board and as a part-time member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal. Previously Ms Kannis was the chair of the Optometrists Registration Board of WA and she has served as a member of the Community Advisory Committee at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
Danielle Winzenried
Ms Winzenried is a part-time legal member appointed on 1 February 2023. She was admitted to legal practice in Western Australia on 4 November 2003 practising in torts litigation and has experience as an Investigative Officer at the Legal Profession Complaints Committee, and at the Federal Court of Australia (International Judicial Development Programs).
She also has over ten years’ experience working in the non-government sector across children’s rights, refugee and migrant support, indigenous affairs, and in aged care policy. Ms Winzenried has a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Arts and a Certificate of Social Impact from the University of Western Australia, and a Master of Social Development from the University of New South Wales.
Craig Gregson
Mr Gregson is a part-time legal member appointed on 27 June 2023 for five years. Mr Gregson was admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Western Australia in November of 2011. He specialises in Succession law in Western Australia and is a registered TEP member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). He holds a Bachelor of Laws from Edith Cowan University and a Masters of Applied Law majoring in Wills and Estates Practice from the College of Law. Mr Gregson is considered by many as one of Australia’s leading authorities in succession law and is a current PhD candidate at the University of Western Australia. In every year since 2018 Doyle’s Guide has recognised Craig as leading Wills and Estate Litigation Lawyer. He has extensive experience in complex proceedings heard in the Guardianship division of the State Administrative Tribunal.
Sessional Legal Members
Andrea McCallum (since 2014)
Her Honour Catherine O’Brien (since 2019)
Robert Lilley (since 2023)
Eve Andrews (since 2024)
Prof. Robyn Carroll (since 2024)
Daniel (Kok Guan) Chan (since 2024)
Chad Edwards-Smith (since 2024)
Tanya Jones (since 2024)
Michael Judd (since 2024)
Judy McLean (since 2024)
John Trainer (since 2024)
Dr Jamie Walvisch (since 2024)
Psychiatrist Members
The Tribunal has fifteen sessional psychiatrist members.
Dr Ann Bell (since 1999)
Dr Fiona Krantz (since 2015)
Dr Rowan Davidson (since 2016)
Dr David Lord (since 2016)
Dr Mircea Schineanu (since 2017)
Dr Helen Ward (since 2017)
Dr Nicola Simmonds (since 2022)
Dr Angela McAleer (since 2023)
Dr Jayasheerie Nadarajah (since 2023)
Dr Catherine Nottage (since 2023)
Dr Alexander Tait (since 2023)
Dr Russell Date (since 2024)
Dr Claudia Espenschied (since 2024)
Dr David (Sungdo) Hong (since 2024)
Dr Helen Monkhouse (since 2024)
Community Members
The Tribunal has three part-time community members, and six sessional community members.
The Hon Keith Wilson AM
Mr Wilson is a part-time community member reappointed on 29 October 2024, prior to this Mr Wilson was appointed on 29 October 2019 for five years and has been a community member of the Tribunal since 2014. He is a former Member of the WA Parliament (1977 – 1993) and a Member of State Cabinet (1983 – 1992) including 5 years as Minister for Health. He earlier worked as an Anglican Priest (1962 – 1976) and a School Teacher (1956 – 1958). He served as Chair of the Mental Health Council of Australia (2000 – 2006) and the WAAMH (1999 – 2006) and as a Board Member of MIFWA , the Ministerial Advisory Council on Disability and St John of God Health Care. He is currently a Director of the mental health charity, Meeting for Minds. He was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to mental health in government in 2001 and made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2009 for service to people with mental illness and their carers.
Sarah Tunzi
Mrs Tunzi is a part-time community member, appointed on 1 February 2023. Sarah originally hails from regional Western Australia and is a respected manager and leader who has worked across a range of industries including small business, hospitality, the care of children and the elderly, and a mentor and counsellor to young adults. She is passionate about serving the community and empowering others to achieve their potential, and brings empathy and substantial lived experience supporting loved ones with mental illness.
Darren Foster
Darren Foster is a part-time community member, appointed on 27 June 2023 for five years. He has had long career working for Western Australia in Commonwealth, State and local government leadership roles. He is a former Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
Darren is a member of the Heritage Council of Western Australia and served on the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) State advisory council from 2020-2022. He was an inaugural member of the Infrastructure Western Australia board, and is a former member of the State’s Overseas Relations Committee and the Curtin University Governing Council. In 2018, he became the first Western Australian to receive the Sir James Wolfensohn Scholarship to study at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Darren is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Sessional Community Members
Leone Shiels (since 2011)
Ann White (since 2011)
Jennifer Bridge-Wright (since 2014)
Dr Andrew Cichy (since 2022)
Caroline Heffer (since 2023)
Cameron Hopper (since 2023)
Page reviewed 29 October 2024