History
The Dive Industry Association of Australia (DIAA) was established and registered as an Association in
February 2008.
Purpose
DIAA exists as a forum to encourage the free exchange of ideas and information on diving-related issues,
to seek solutions to matters of common concern, and to offer practical advice and support to its
membership.
It also serves as a professional industry contact point for media, regulatory bodies and other external
organisations. DIAA functions as a reactive Association, providing advice, expertise and representation
whenever required.
Membership
The Association has one membership category:
Ordinary Members
This category is open to associations, firms and corporations that have been engaged in the recreational
diving industry for no less than four years. Eligible organisations include diver training agencies,
equipment manufacturers and distributors, dive travel providers, diver safety and risk-management
services, and dive media organisations.
Ordinary Members have voting rights. All Ordinary Membership applications require majority approval of
the Committee and are reviewed at DIAA’s quarterly General Meetings.
DIAA Office Holders
The Dive Industry Association of Australia (DIAA) is guided by a dedicated team of industry professionals
representing retail, training, wholesale, tourism and equipment supply. Each office holder brings decades
of experience and a shared commitment to strengthening safety, training standards, business sustainability
and participation across the Australian dive industry. Meet the people working behind the scenes to support
operators, educators and divers nationwide.
Troy Stephenson
Chairperson
Troy Stephenson is an experienced diving industry leader, Course Director Trainer, and the Regional
Representative for SDI/TDI/ERDI across Oceania. With decades of operational and instructional experience
across recreational, technical and public safety diving, Troy also brings deep governance and compliance
expertise through his work in RTO development, VET alignment, ISO/Standards Australia committees
(CS-083) and national code-of-practice projects.
He works closely with dive centres, industry partners and training agencies to strengthen safety, training
quality and industry growth. As Chairperson of DIAA, Troy is committed to supporting facilities,
instructors and divers throughout Australia and New Zealand through innovation, collaboration and
consistently high professional standards.
Neil Dorrian
Vice Chair
With more than three decades in the dive industry, Neil has worked across training, retail and wholesale
in both New Zealand and Australia. After immigrating in 1990 he served as Dive Coordinator on a
square-rigged sailing ship, then as an instructor and manager for a leading Sydney dive store before
moving into wholesale in 1993 as Aqua Lung’s NSW and WA sales representative. He later joined Oceanic and
has represented many of the world’s top scuba, snorkel and spearfishing brands.
Today Neil works exclusively with AUP across NSW, the ACT and the Pacific Rim and co-owns Dive Tanks
Australia, importing Faber and San O Sub cylinders. He is widely respected for his practical leadership,
deep product knowledge and the support he provides to retailers, instructors and operators in an
ever-changing market.
Bob Diaz
Secretary
Bob is the owner and founder of Central Coast Divers, the NSW Central Coast’s original professional
full-time dive centre established in 1986. With more than four decades in the industry he has trained
thousands of divers and built a strong local diving community through initiatives such as the Trident Dive
Club. Bob has served on numerous local government, tourism and business boards, bringing a diving
perspective to regional development and marine-park discussions.
As a senior leader within DIAA, he advocates for professional standards, sustainable tourism and ethical
practice, viewing diving not just as a sport but as a lifestyle and a legacy to be protected.
Jerry Witkowski
Treasurer
Jerry brings over 40 years of scuba diving experience and extensive travel through the Indo-Pacific to his
role on the DIAA board. Certified as an instructor in 1984, he combined his love of diving, travel and
adventure to found Dive Adventures in 1986, which has grown into one of Australia’s leading
IATA-accredited dive travel agencies.
His deep knowledge of global dive travel, risk management and business operations underpins DIAA’s
financial stewardship and long-term strategic planning.
Sue Crowe
Board Member
Sue’s dive career spans more than three decades and touches almost every corner of the industry. A
journalist by background, she learned to dive while working in Jamaica and later became Editor of
Scuba Diver Australasia, diving, testing equipment and travelling extensively. She went on to run
her own marketing consultancy and later served seven years as Director and General Manager of Tabata
Australia.
Sue then led the OZTek Advanced Diving Conference and Travel Expo for more than a decade, shaping it into
one of Australia’s most influential dive events. A long-time DIAA member and conservation supporter, she
also spent eight years as Australasian Co-ordinator for the Our World Underwater Scholarship Society,
mentoring the next generation of ocean ambassadors.
Peter Huettner
Board Member
Peter contributes a hands-on operator’s perspective to the DIAA board, built on decades of running regional
dive operations and working directly with local diving communities. Having introduced many people to their
first underwater experiences and supported long-term club development, he understands the day-to-day
realities of staffing, logistics, equipment and diver care.
Peter is passionate about ensuring that industry decisions translate into practical benefits for dive
centres and instructors and that regional operators have a strong voice in conversations about standards,
sustainability and access.
Deborah Dickson-Smith
Board Member
Deb is a travel consultant, scuba diver, writer and passionate ocean advocate who fell in love with diving
on her first Great Barrier Reef trip more than 30 years ago. Since then she has explored extensively
throughout the South Pacific and Southeast Asia, experience she now channels into designing tailor-made
dive holidays for clients at Diveplanit Travel.
She co-founded the Diveplanit blog in 2012, which has grown into a dive travel guide, content studio and
specialist travel agency. When not planning trips, Deb writes for publications including Scuba Diver
Magazine, Signature Luxury Travel, Get Lost and Vacations & Travel,
helping connect more people with the ocean.
Damian Jones
Board Member
Damian is a seasoned dive-industry professional with more than 25 years’ experience as an instructor
across domestic and international tourism markets. He owned and operated a Melbourne dive centre for 11
years, gaining deep insight into retail, training and customer service.
Damian later spent six years as a PADI Regional Manager before becoming PADI Territory Director for
Oceania in 2022, with responsibility for the PADI RTO and nationally accredited training. His strong
relationships with shop owners, manufacturers, wholesalers, travel providers and charter operators across
Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific give him a deeply networked understanding of the industry.
Rachael Fallon
Board Member
Rachael has been part of the dive industry since the age of 15, beginning part-time while studying a
management degree before committing fully to the industry. In 2000 she established a dive centre in
Sydney, and today she is General Manager of Abyss Scuba Diving as well as a PADI Course Director, PRISM
Rebreather Instructor and Freediver Instructor Trainer.
Combining strong business skills with deep teaching experience, Rachael is passionate about creating
inclusive, high-quality diver pathways and strong local dive communities that keep people diving for life.