ABOUT US
INDEPENDENT. SECTOR-LED. TRUSTED
HABA is proudly independent. We have no ties to product brands, franchise groups, RTOs or training providers. Our only interest is YOURS.
We are governed by professionals from the salon, beauty, and barbering sectors, including owners, operators, and educators who understand your challenges
We are lean, efficient and always reinvesting back into the industry we serve.
We look out for owners because we understand the risks involved in running a hair salon, barbershop or beauty business. Whether you are managing staff, meeting compliance deadlines or trying to grow we are here to help.
Hair & Beauty Australia is not a desk-bound organisation. We are out in the industry, listening, advocating, and ensuring the real needs of salon owners and professionals are represented where decisions are made.
From conferences and exhibitions to panel discussions and industry briefings, we work alongside educators, regulators, and key partners to strengthen the future of hair, beauty and barbering.
Through mutually beneficial partnerships, such as our collaboration with TAFE NSW on the Spot a Spot Micro skill, we help translate industry standards into practical training and resources that support the people running businesses every day because representation only matters when it leads to real outcomes for the industry.
Meet your Committee
Maureen Harding
National President
Maureen Harding is the National President of Hair and Beauty Australia and a Life Member. She brings more than fifty years of experience to the role and owns an award-winning salon in Ingleburn.
Her career spans apprenticeship training, national advisory roles, and education reform. She has contributed to training packages for more than three decades and has judged WorldSkills at national and international levels.
Her work at TAFE NSW and with Schwarzkopf and Keune highlights her influence across the sector. She has represented Australia at Salon International and Cosmoprof and continues to guide industry standards, workplace policy, and the development of emerging professionals.
Vacant
Secretary
This position is currently vacant.
Elvio Cares
Vice-President
Elvio Cares entered the hair and barbering industry as a mature student and now brings more than twenty years of experience to the profession.
He is a strong advocate for opening pathways to new hairdressers and beauty therapists and believes the industry must remain welcoming, inclusive, and forward looking.
His focus is on education, acceptance of new learner cohorts, and the continual lifting of professional standards across salons and training environments.
Amee Alfonso
Ordinary Committee Member
Amee Alfonso is a dermal skin therapist, beauty therapist, and former RTO educator with twenty-five years of experience. She offers advanced skin treatments and medical grade technologies and is known for her precision and client care.
Her expertise includes Hydrafacial, Dermalux Tri-Wave MD, Dermapen 4, IPL skin rejuvenation, RF skin tightening, and carbon laser treatments.
Her commitment to professional standards and results-driven practice has made her a respected practitioner in contemporary beauty therapy.
Mario Nasso
Treasurer
Mario Nasso has been a leading figure in Australian hairdressing for decades.
He represented Australia as part of the national World Cup team in Düsseldorf in 1978 and went on to win Senior of the Year multiple times.
He has served as Chairman of Judges for both the New South Wales and Australian Championships.
His long service in competition leadership and his technical expertise have made him a respected authority within the profession.
Wendy Campbell
Ordinary Committee Member
Wendy Campbell trained in Sydney under Norman Flohm and opened her salon in 1975. She has trained sixteen apprentices and has been active in community events including wedding expos and local Queen and Princess competitions.
Her salon is a long-standing, multigenerational business that continues to grow with the community.
Wendy was recently recognised in the New South Wales Parliament by State Member Michael Kemp for fifty years in business, acknowledging her service and contribution to the profession.
Interested in joining our committee?
If you’re passionate about shaping the future of Australia’s hair, beauty and barbering industry, joining the Hair & Beauty Australia committee is a practical way to contribute.
Our committee brings together salon owners, operators, educators and industry leaders to inform HABA’s advocacy priorities, strengthen industry standards, and ensure training and compliance guidance reflects what’s happening in real businesses.
If you’d like to represent industry voices and support outcomes that benefit the wider sector, we invite you to register your interest in joining.
Click the button below to send an email expressing your interest.
How can we help?
To Hire and to Fire: Comprehensive HR Support
Staff can be your greatest asset, your largest expense, and sometimes your biggest challenge. That is why HABA, in partnership with the Australian Industry Group, offers members unlimited access to expert workplace relations advice.
Our team is here to help with every aspect of human resources:
Hiring and Onboarding: compliant contracts and recruitment guidance.
Performance Management: managing expectations, policies, and procedures.
Payroll and Leave: navigating wage obligations and Award entitlements.
Terminations and Redundancy: support with dismissals and Fair Work claims.
Workplace Documents: employment policies, templates, and advice.
With HABA membership, you are never alone. We are just a phone call away.
Renting a Chair, Space, or Room? We Can Help.
The growing rent-a-chair and space-sharing model offers flexibility for salon, beauty, and barbering professionals, but it also brings legal and compliance risks.
HABA provides support and resources to help you set up agreements correctly:
Sample Rental Agreements
Guides to Legal Structure and Risk
Advice on Tax, Insurance, and Obligations
Checklist for Hosting or Renting
Support for Hybrid Businesses
Whether you are leasing a chair in a barbershop, subletting a beauty room, or hosting multiple stylists in your space, we will help you get it right.
Constant Industry Education
We are always on the front foot, identifying risks, unpacking new regulations, and helping you stay one step ahead.
Explore our blog for topics like:
Pricing for Profit
Public Holiday Pay and Staff Scheduling
Out-of-Hours Misconduct and Fair Dismissal
Apprenticeship Completion Risks
Right to Disconnect: What It Means for You
As a HABA member, you also receive tailored updates delivered directly, including Award changes, wage updates, compliance deadlines, and tools to make staying on top of your obligations easier.