About Us
Cooper Hardiman was established in 2016 and quickly became the advisor of choice for Human Resources, Industrial Relations, business advisory and workplace training services for a wide range of organisations throughout regional Victoria and South Australia.
Our team of skilled and personable staff, most of whom are based in Warrnambool and surrounds, are passionate about supporting organisations to achieve their potential through the provision of expert advice and high-quality training services. We pride ourselves on being reliable and trustworthy.
You’ll find dealing with us to be easy and uncomplicated, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
Our Team and Business Partners
Gavan Cooper
Director - BA/Law (Hons), Cert IV Workplace Investigations, Cert IV Project Management, Trained Mediator – AIMAA
Gavan commenced his career as an employment lawyer, having held various specialist Employee Relations and HR Consulting roles with nationally and internationally respected organisations including ANZ and the University of Melbourne.
Prior to co-founding Cooper Hardiman, Gavan was responsible for People, Culture and Strategy at South West Credit Union (since merged with Beyond Bank) where he was a member of the Executive Team and an ASIC Approved “Responsible Manager” of a financial institution.
He has strong technical expertise in interpreting and applying industrial instruments and relevant legislation. He is also skilled in the area of conflict resolution and boasts a 100% success rate in conducting mediations. He is extremely experienced in workplace investigations and case management and is particularly passionate about working with leaders to improve workplace culture, team dynamics and people management skills.
Gavan has developed a reputation for developing innovative training content and being an inspiring and engaging workshop and team building facilitator. In the last seven years he has delivered over 300 workshops to organisations Australia-wide.
Contact Gavan on 0427 973 306 or via email at gavan@cooperhardiman.com.au.
Ed Thomas
Senior Workplace Relations Consultant - B.Bus (HR/Management), Cert IV Training and Assessment, Cert IV Government (Investigations), Member of the Industrial Relations Society of Victoria.
Ed is a specialist Workplace Relations professional with 20 years of experience across the public and private sector. Ed has held various roles including Workplace Relations Advisor at the Office of the Employment Advocate and Workplace Agreements Advisor at the Workplace Authority, with a particular expertise in workplace investigations, interpreting and applying industrial instruments and relevant legislation and conflict resolution. Prior to commencing at Cooper Hardiman, Ed was a Fair Work Inspector at the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Ed is a director of Thomas Workplace Solutions and consults to SMEs on a wide range of workplace relations issues, with a particular passion for supporting businesses to be compliant, innovative, productive and harmonious workplaces.
Contact Ed on 0417 331 160 or via email at ed@cooperhardiman.com.au.
Neralie Cadusch
Consultant - Bachelor Arts/Social Work (Hons), Melbourne University
Neralie has over two decades of experience working within the Victorian health and human services sector, undertaking a range of senior management roles, including clinical supervision, quality and continuous improvement, individualised support and planning, and case management roles within Victorian public and community-based health, aged and disability services.
Neralie has specialist skills in group facilitation, coaching, organisational review and redesign, systems auditing and continuous quality improvement, risk management, developing performance systems, policy and procedure development and strategic planning.
Contact Neralie on 0412 551 430 or via email at neralie@cooperhardiman.com.au.
Jonathan Buckle
Consultant - Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management
Jonathan has a strong background in human resources, having worked across local government and the not-for-profit sector as a trusted HR advisor. Through roles at Moyne Shire Council and Are-able (formerly WDEA), he has developed strong expertise in recruitment and selection - an area he is particularly passionate about - along with providing practical HR advice across a range of workplace matters.
With a strong background in HR, Jonathan has successfully led human resource functions, offering strategic guidance in employee relations, workforce planning, and organisational development. He takes great satisfaction in connecting the right people with the right roles, fostering positive workplace cultures, and implementing best-practice HR solutions that support high-performing teams and strong organisational outcomes.
Having grown up in Warrnambool, Jonathan has a deep connection to the south-west region and is committed to supporting organisations that make a meaningful impact in the local community.
Contact Jonathan on 0409 700 362 or via email at jonathan@cooperhardiman.com.au.
Claire Farrer
Business Manager
With her experience in business management, Human Resources administration and finance, Claire provides our team with support throughout all aspects of our business. Having worked for many years as a Business Manager for an accounting firm as well as a Financial Planning Assistant and is a former small business owner herself, she has valuable expertise in a wide range of areas.
Claire coordinates our extensive schedule of internal and external training programs and is the first point of contact for many clients who require assistance with designing a training program that best suits their needs. Claire also utilises her expertise in recruitment to assist clients through all facets of the recruitment process, as well as managing the business administration and management aspect of Cooper Hardiman.
Contact Claire on 0419 138 085 or via email at claire@cooperhardiman.com.au.
Daniel Meade
Local Government Consultant - GAICD
Daniel brings a unique skillset to Cooper Hardiman, having served as a Councillor and Mayor for Moyne Shire Council, and now uses his significant knowledge and understanding of that sector to support rural and regional local government organisations and their elected representatives.
Daniel has an in-depth understanding of the opportunities, challenges and issues faced by local government. He has worked successfully with fellow Councillors and Executives to set responsible budgets whilst delivering key projects for the community. He maintains a strong focus on community engagement, cohesive Council teams and collaborative working relationships, ensuring high performance and positive results for the community.
Daniel has spent his childhood and entire working life in rural Australia and remains ‘hands on’ in the agriculture industry, owning his own farming business, and was a Nuffield Australia Farming Scholar in 2017.
Contact Daniel on 0417 896 138 or via email at daniel@cooperhardiman.com.au.