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Associate Professor Sharron O'Neill

Associate Professor Sharron O'Neill

Associate Professor

Academic qualifications

  • Bachelor of Commerce, major: accounting, University of Western Sydney 1993
  • Master of Commerce (Honours), in management accounting, University of New South Wales 2003. Supervisor: Prof. W.F. Chua. 2003
  • PhD, corporate accountability for work health and safety (WHS), RMIT University. Supervisor: Prof. C. Deegan 2010

Professional qualifications

  • CPA Australia program 1996
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors course 2017

Professional affiliations and memberships

  • CA, Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand
  • GAICD, Australian Institute of Company Directors
  • Australian Institute of Health and Safety
  • NSCA Foundation (National Safety Council of Australia)
UNSW Canberra
School of Business

Dr Sharron O'Neill is an Associate Professor of Accounting in the School of Business at UNSW, Canberra.

Sharron's research examines the design, measurement and reporting of performance measures for operational decision-making, governance and accountability. She has particular expertise in non-financial indicators of work health and safety (WHS) and advises government, investors and industry (executives and Boards) on WHS performance measurement and reporting. Sharron leads collaborative research projects that bring the accounting and safety professions together with industry, government and academia and has been chief investigator on funded research projects totalling over $1,656,200 and has published her research in publications including journal articles, industry research reports and media and delivered keynote and invited conference presentations at more than 70 academic and industry conferences in Australian and Internationally.

Sharron's research has contributed to global policy debate and reform on the measurement and reporting of WHS performance through roles including Chair of the Global Reporting Initiative's international GRI403 project working group, the Queensland Government's safety leadership expert reference group (2018), the ACT Government's Work Safety Council (ministerial appointee 2017-2019) and the evaluation working group of the National Mental Health Commission's National Workplace Initiative. 

Sharron currently teaches introductory financial and management accounting at postgraduate and undergraduate levels, and the postgraduate elective, leadership of safe and healthy work. She has previously taught advanced accounting, accounting theory, research methods and issues in corporate social responsibility. Her academic research and teaching is underpinned by financial accounting industry experience gained in manufacturing, transport and healthcare sectors, as well as academic and professional accounting qualifications and a PhD in corporate accountability for work health and safety (WHS). Sharron is a member of Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ), Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), the Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS) and the National Safety Council of Australia (NSCA).

Expertise:  developing performance indicators to support WHS due diligence; performance management, governance and assurance of WHS and other employment relations issues.
Phone
+61 2 5114 5673
E-mail
sharron.oneill@unsw.edu.au
Location
Building 27, Room 217, School of Business, UNSW Canberra
  • Book Chapters | 2021
    O'Neill S; Rooney J, 2021, 'Performance measures for governance systems', in Blackman D (ed.), Handbook on Performance Management in the Public Sector, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham UK, pp. 55 - 71
  • Journal articles | 2023
    Bentley T; Onnis LA; Vassiley A; Farr-Wharton B; Caponecchia C; Andrew C; O’Neill S; De Almeida Neto A; Huron V; Green N, 2023, 'A systematic review of literature on occupational health and safety interventions for older workers', Ergonomics, 66, pp. 1968 - 1983, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2023.2176550
    Journal articles | 2023
    Farr-Wharton B; Bentley T; Onnis LA; Caponecchia C; Neto ADA; O’Neill S; Andrew C; O'Neill S, 2023, 'Older Worker-Orientated Human Resource Practices, Wellbeing and Leave Intentions: A Conservation of Resources Approach for Ageing Workforces', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, pp. 1 - 13, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032725
    Journal articles | 2023
    Thornthwaite L; O’Neill S, 2023, 'Regulating HRM: the limits of regulatory pluralism', International Journal of Human Resource Management, 34, pp. 1471 - 1499, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2021.1996432
    Journal articles | 2022
    Cheng TC; Caponecchia C; O'Neill S, 2022, 'Workplace safety and future and emerging ways of work: A systematic literature review', Safety Science, 155, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2022.105873
    Journal articles | 2019
    Thornthwaite L; O'Neill S, 2019, 'Mobilising evidence in public policy: The contribution of the evidence provider', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8500.12346
    Journal articles | 2018
    Long JC; Debono D; Williams R; Salisbury E; O'Neill S; Eykman E; Butler J; Rawson R; Phan-Thien KC; Thompson SR; Braithwaite J; Chin M; Taylor N, 2018, 'Using behaviour change and implementation science to address low referral rates in oncology', BMC Health Services Research, 18, pp. 904, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-3653-1
    Journal articles | 2016
    Markey R; Ferris S; McIvor J; Thornthwaite L; Wright CF; Muhidin S; O'Neill S; Parr N, 2016, 'Extending employment entitlements to non-standard workers: Alternative models for long service leave portability', Journal of Industrial Relations, 58, pp. 46 - 68, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022185615598187
    Journal articles | 2016
    O'Neill S; Flanagan J; Clarke K, 2016, 'Safewash! Risk attenuation and the (Mis)reporting of corporate safety performance to investors', Safety Science, 83, pp. 114 - 130, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2015.11.007
    Journal articles | 2016
    Taylor N; Long JC; Debono D; Williams R; Salisbury E; O'Neill S; Eykman E; Braithwaite J; Chin M, 2016, 'Achieving behaviour change for detection of Lynch syndrome using the Theoretical Domains Framework Implementation (TDFI) approach: A study protocol', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1331-8
    Journal articles | 2015
    Holley S; Thornthwaite L; Markey R; O'Neill S, 2015, 'NSW Workers' Compensation Reform: A Parody of Evidence-based Policy Making', Australian Journal of Public Administration, 74, pp. 151 - 161, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8500.12125
    Journal articles | 2015
    Holley S; Thornthwaite L; O'Neill S; Markey R, 2015, 'Reforming a complex system: the case of NSW workers' compensation and return to work', LABOUR & INDUSTRY-A JOURNAL OF THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF WORK, 25, pp. 85 - 99, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10301763.2015.1034969
    Journal articles | 2015
    O'Neill SM; McDonald G; Deegan CM, 2015, 'Lost in translation: Institutionalised logic and the problematisation of accounting for injury', Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 28, pp. 180 - 209, http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-03-2014-1625
    Journal articles | 2014
    O'Neill SM; Wolfe, K, 2014, 'Officers' due diligence: Is work health and safety an accounting problem?', Journal of Health and Safety Research and Practice, 6, pp. 15 - 21, https://sia.org.au/research/journals/volume6-issue1/vol6iss1-pp-15-21.html
    Journal articles | 2012
    Clarke KJ; Flanagan J; O'Neill S, 2012, 'Success in winning Australian Research Council grants as a measure of comparative professionalized disciplinary research activity', Pacific Accounting Review, 24, pp. 51 - 79, http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01140581211221551
    Journal articles | 2011
    Clarke KJ; Flanagan J; O'Neill S, 2011, 'Winning ARC grants: comparing accounting with other commerce-related disciplines', Accounting Research Journal, 24, pp. 213 - 244
    Journal articles | 2005
    Clarke KJ, 2005, 'Is the Environmental Professional... an Accountant?', Greener Management International, 49, pp. 110 - 125, http://dx.doi.org/10.9774/GLEAF.3062.2005.sp.00011
  • Reports | 2022
    O'Neill S; Glennie M; Farmer J; Caponecchia C; Blackman D; McDermott V; Huron V; Rooney J, 2022, Measuring for a mentally healthy workplace: a practical guide for small business and sole traders, National Mental Health Commission, Sydney, NSW, 2, https://beta.mentallyhealthyworkplaces.gov.au/explore-resources/measuring-mentally-healthy-workplaces-practical-guide-small-business-and-sole
    Reports | 2022
    O'Neill S; Glennie M; Farmer J; Caponecchia C; McDermott V; Blackman D; Rooney J; Huron V, 2022, Measuring for a mentally healthy workplace: a practical guide for medium to large organisations, https://beta.mentallyhealthyworkplaces.gov.au/explore-resources/measuring-mentally-healthy-workplaces-practical-guide-medium-large-organisations
    Conference Presentations | 2022
    2022, 'Measuring for mentally healthier work'
    Conference Presentations | 2022
    2022, 'The evolution of safety measurement frameworks'
    Reports | 2021
    Bentley T; Caponecchia C; Onnis L-A; Farr-Wharton B; Vassiley A; O'Neill S; Andrew C; De Almeida Neto A; Huron V, 2021, The Healthy Older Worker: A Systematic Review of Literature on Work Health and Safety Interventions for Older Workers
    Reports | 2021
    Caponecchia C; Mayland E; Huron V; Onnis L-A; Coman R; O'Neill S; Nguyen H; Gopaldasani V; Manca D; Jokic T; Bentley T, 2021, Managing mental health at work: A systematic review of interventions
    Conference Presentations | 2021
    2021, 'WHS Data:'
    Reports | 2021
    2021, A quantitative study on the relationship between workplace factors, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) and psychosocial risk (PSR) in older New South Wales-based workers.
    Reports | 2021
    2021, Facilitators, motivators and barriers to improved management of psychosocial risks at work
    Conference Presentations | 2020
    2020, 'Informing WHS decisions'
    Reports | 2020
    2020, Measuring and Reporting WHS Information, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/kd57-6769
    Reports | 2019
    O'Neill S; Miller P; Cao Y; Potter R, 2019, Building the Intellectual Capital of Business Leaders Through Executive Peer-to-Peer Safety Networks
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    O'Neill S, 2019, 'Accountants - the hidden key to better health and safety performance', presented at CAANZ Public Sector Forum, National Press Club, 16 Barton Circuit, Canberra, 24 May 2019 - 24 May 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    O'Neill S, 2019, 'Evaluating WHS Risk', presented at ACT Government, Audit and Risk Management Committee Forum, CPA Australia, Canberra, 05 September 2019 - 05 September 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    O'Neill S, 2019, 'Informing Health and Safety Leadership', presented at Health and Safety Month Conference, Work Safe Victoria, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, I Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, Victoria, 3006, Australia, 30 October 2019 - 30 October 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    O'Neill S, 2019, 'Measurement and reporting of WHS performance', presented at ORCHSE Asia Pacific Health, Safety and Environment Forum, Sydney, 17 July 2019 - 19 July 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    O'Neill S; Thornthwaite L, 2018, 'Constructing silence on health and safety: The case of road freight transport workers', presented at 6th Precarious employment and vulnerable workers conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 31 January 2018 - 01 February 2018, https://cohsr.aut.ac.nz/news-and-events/6th-international-conference-on-precarious-work-and-vulnerable-workers
    Reports | 2018
    O'Neill S; Thornthwaite L, 2018, Submission to NSW Govt. StaySafe Committee - Inquiry into heavy vehicle safety and the use of technology to improve road safety, UNSW & MQU. March (10pp)., NSW Government, Sydney, https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/ladocs/submissions/60069/Submission%2032.PDF
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    O'Neill S, 2018, 'GRI403: The New Global (OHS Reporting) Standard', presented at Safety Forum, Mecure Sydney International Airport, Sydney, 25 September 2018 - 26 September 2018, https://www.sia.org.au/events/safety-forum-2018
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    O'Neill S, 2018, 'WHS Reporting', presented at SafeWork NSW - Musculoskeletal Disorder Symposium, Sydney, Australia, 08 November 2018 - 09 November 2018, https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/385629/MSD-Symposium-2018-program-SW09053.pdf
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    Thornthwaite L; O'Neill S, 2018, 'Employee silence when regulatory voice mechanisms exist: bullying, retribution and truck driver safety', presented at AIRAANZ 2018, Adelaide, Australia, 07 February 2018 - 09 February 2018, http://www.airaanz.org/
    Reports | 2017
    Morris S; Rice T; O'Neill S; Raets E; Fairbank B, 2017, Misdiagnosed, misunderstood and missing out: Lynch Syndrome, Australia's untold health story, Lynch Syndrome Australia, Brisbane, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/hs3k-2a07, https://lynchsyndrome.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Lynch-Syndrome-Report.pdf
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    O'Neill S; Thornthwaite L, 2017, 'Owner Driver Remuneration and Road Safety: New Survey Evidence', presented at AIRAANZ 2017, Canberra, Australia, 08 February 2017 - 10 February 2017, http://www.airaanz.org/news/airaanz-conference-2017
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    O'Neill S, 2017, 'Driving WHS Performance', presented at Injury Prevention and Return to Work, Brisbane, Australia, 19 October 2017 - 19 October 2017, https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/whats-on/swm-events/2017/other-events/injury-prevention-and-return-to-work-conference
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    O'Neill S, 2017, 'How the choice of lead and lag KPIs influence WHS outcomes', presented at Injury Prevention and Management, Brisbane (3 Aug), Mackay (15 Aug), Townsville (29 Aug), 03 August 2017 - 29 August 2017, https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/injury-prevention-safety
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    O'Neill S, 2017, 'Measuring to improve supply chain WHS performance', presented at Supply Chain Forum, Cairns (16 Aug), Rockhampton (30 Aug), Roma (5 Sept), 16 August 2017 - 05 September 2018, https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/injury-prevention-safety
    Reports | 2017
    O'Neill SM; Wolfe K, 2017, Informing Officers' Decisions: A guide to reporting on WHS performance, UNSW Canberra, Canberra, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/26332
    Reports | 2017
    O'Neill SM; Wolfe K, 2017, Measuring and reporting on work health and safety, Safe Work Australia, Canberra, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/gkjk-yg56, https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1802/measuring-and-reporting-on-work-health-and-safety.pdf
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    Thornthwaite L; O'Neill S, 2017, 'Challenges in Supply Chain Regulation: WHS in the road freight transport sector', presented at Fifth Regulating for Decent Work, Geneva, Switzerland, 03 July 2017 - 05 July 2017, http://www.rdw-conference.org/pages/info
    Reports | 2017
    Thornthwaite L; O'Neill SM, 2017, Evaluating approaches to regulating WHS in the Australian road freight transport industry, Transport Education, Audit, Compliance, Health Organisation (TEACHO) Ltd., Sydney, NSW, Final Report, http://www.teacho.com.au/images/TEACHO_Final_Report.pdf
    Reports | 2017
    Thornthwaite L; O'Neill SM, 2017, Regulating the Work Health and Safety of Australian Road Freight Transport Drivers, Transport Education, Audit, Compliance, Health Organisation (TEACHO) Ltd., Sydney NSW, Summary
    Reports | 2015
    O'Neill SM; Wolfe K; Holley S, 2015, Performance measurement, incentives and organisational culture: implications for leading safe and healthy work, Safe Work Australia, Canberra, The role of accounting in work health and safety governance, 4/4, http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/834/Performance-measurement-incentives-organisational-culture.pdf
    Reports | 2015
    Markey R; Holley S; Thornthwaite L; O'Neill SM, 2015, The impact on injured workers of changes to NSW workers' compensation: Report 3
    Reports | 2014
    Markey R; Holley S; O'Neill S; Thornthwaite L, 2014, Submission to Statutory Review of the NSW Workers' Compensation Scheme, Centre for International Economics
    Reports | 2014
    Markey R; Holley S; Thornthwaite L; O'Neill SM, 2014, The Impact on Injured Workers of Changes to NSW Workers’ Compensation: June 2012 Legislative Amendments, Report 2, Unions NSW, Sydney, 2, https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/unionsnsw/pages/1271/attachments/original/1425015394/Report_no._2_-_December_2014_-_Final.pdf?1425015394
    Reports | 2014
    Martinov-Bennie N; O'Neill SM; Cheung A, 2014, Issues in the Assurance and Verification of WHS Information, Safe Work Australia, Canberra, The role of accounting in work health and safety governance, 2/4, http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/834/Issues-Assurance-Verification-WH-%20Information-Review.pdf
    Reports | 2014
    O'Neill SM, 2014, The business case for safe, healthy and productive work: Implications for resource allocation, Safe Work Australia, Canberra, The role of accounting in work health and safety governance, 3/4, http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/834/business-case-for-safe-healthy-productive-work.pdf
    Reports | 2013
    Markey R; Ferris S; Kyng T; Lavermicocca C; Muhidin S; O'Neill SM; Parr N; Thornthwaite L; Wright C, 2013, The Case for a National Portable Long Service Leave Scheme in Australia, The McKell Institute, McKell Institute, http://mckellinstitute.org.au/plsl
    Reports | 2013
    O'Neill SM; Martinov-Bennie N; Cheung A, 2013, Issues in the Measurement and Reporting of Work Health and Safety Performance, Safe Work Australia, Canberra, The Role of Accounting in Work Health and Safety, 1, http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/834/Issues-Measurement-Reporting-WHS-Performance.pdf
    Reports | 2013
    Markey R; Holley S; O'Neill SM; Thornthwaite L, 2013, The Impact on Injured Workers of Changes to NSW Workers’ Compensation: June 2012 Legislative Amendments
    Reports | 2012
    2012, Submission to the Joint Select Committee on NSW Workers' Compensation Scheme, NSW Parliament. May
    Theses / Dissertations | 2010
    O'Neill SM, 2010, Accounting for lost time: examining corporate accountability to stakeholders for occupational health and safety, RMIT University, http://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/view/rmit:13632
    Theses / Dissertations | 2003
    O'Neill SM, 2003, A Study of the Effect of Organisational Visibility and Environmental Impact on the Adoption of Risk Management Strategy, University of NSW

Research income for funded research projects on which Sharron is/was lead or chief investigator since 2012 exceeds  $1,653,637.
This includes $956,131 in research funding for projects 2019-2023 ($667,531 to UNSW).

  Current funded research projects include,

  • Lead: WHS Measurement Evidence Review (AIHS)
  • CI: Strengthening the priority of WHS for business leaders (Centre for Workplace Health & Safety, NSW Government)
  • CI: Public Sector Accountability (PSRG, School of Business, UNSW Canberra)

  Funded research projects completed: 

  • 2022 CI: Mentally Healthy Workplaces (Centre for Workplace Health & Safety, NSW Government)
  • 2022 CI: Healthy Older Worker (HOW) Toolkit (Centre for Workplace Health & Safety, NSW Government)
  • 2021 Lead: Measures to support mentally healthy workplaces (National Workplace Initiative, National Mental Health Commission)
  • 2020 Lead: Measuring and Reporting Guide (Safe Work NSW)
  • 2019 Lead: Developing Executives' Intellectual Capital through Peer to Peer Networks (SafetyWorks, Australian Govt.)
  • 2019 CI: Assessing the Wellbeing System (UNSW & Australian Government)
  • 2017 Lead: Testing and Evaluating WHS Guidelines (Safe Work Australia, CAANZ, SIA)
  • 2017 Joint lead: Evaluating Approaches to Regulating WHS in the Road Transport Industry (TEACHO Ltd)
  • 2017 CI: Achieving Behaviour Change for the Prevention & Management of Lynch Syndrome (Cancer Institute NSW)
  • 2016 Lead: The Role of Accounting in Work Health and Safety Governance (CPA Australia, Safe Work Australia, Safety Institute of Australia, Macquarie University)
  • 2016 CI: Investigating perceptions of Chain of responsibility requirements (National Heavy Vehicle Regulator)
  • 2015 CI: Impact of NSW Workers' Compensation Legislation Reforms (Unions NSW)
  • 2013 CI: National disability insurance (Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University)
  • 2012 CI: National portable long service leave (McKell Institute)

Research awards:  

2014: Faculty of Business & Economics Research Impact Excellence Award. Macquarie University.

2014: Vice Chancellors Research Excellence Award (FBE) - Highly Commended. Macquarie University.

2014: United Nations - Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), Academic-Investor network conference,  Best Paper Award - Highly commended.

 

Teaching awards:

2004: College of Law and Business, Individual Teaching Excellence Award. Western Sydney University.

2003: Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award, Highly Commended. Western Sydney University.

 

University service award:

2003: Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards – Excellence in Social Justice, Commended. Western Sydney University.

 

Current

  • Evaluation working group, National Workplace Initiative, National Mental Health Commission

Previous

  • Chair, GRI403 working group, Global Reporting Initiative (2016-2018)
  • Ministerial appointee, ACT Work Safety Council, ACT Government (2017-2019)
  • Judging panel, WHS Award, Australasian Reporting Awards (2014-2018)
  • Invited member, Supply chain reference group, Office of Industrial Relations, QLD Government (2016)
  • Invited member, Research grant assessment panel, WorkCover NSW, NSW Government (2015)

      >70 speaking engagements for the accounting profession, WHS profession, industry and Government

 

My Research Supervision

Current: 3 PhD students
Completions: 4 PhD students, 1 MPhil student

Examinations: 1 MCom(hons) thesis and 3 PhD theses.

 

My Teaching

Postgraduate program
   ZBUS8108: Accounting and Financial Management   

   ZBUS8114: Leadership of Safe and Healthy Work

Executive education
   Measuring and Reporting on Work Health and Safety