NO.118

The Treasurer, today, announced the appointments of Mrs Helen Owens as a full-time Commissioner of the Productivity Commission, and Professor Judith Sloan, Mr Michael Woods and Dr David Robertson as part-time Commissioners.

Mrs Owens, Professor Sloan and Mr Woods are appointed for terms of five years; Dr Robertson for three years.

Mrs Owens

is currently a full-time Commissioner, and is presiding on the inquiry

into Cost Recovery by Commonwealth Agencies. She has made key contributions in a number of

Commission Inquiries including Progress in Rail Reform and Private Health Insurance.

Before accepting appointment with the Productivity Commission (and its predecessor, the Industry Commission), Mrs Owens held senior positions with the National Centre for Health Program Evaluation at Monash University and the Accident Compensation Commission.

Professor Sloan and Mr Woods now serve as part-time Commissioners.

Professor Sloan

has participated as a Commissioner in several Inquiries

including the current inquiry into Cost Recovery by Commonwealth Agencies, Review of

Legislation Regulating the Architectural Profession and Impact of Competition Policy

Reforms on Rural and Regional Australia. Professor Sloan also holds positions on the

boards of several companies and has held senior appointments at the University of

Melbourne and Flinders University.

Mr Woods

has contributed as a Commissioner in several Inquiries including the

current inquiry into Telecommunications Specific Competition Regulation, Review of

Australia’s General Tariff Arrangements, Nursing Homes and International

Telecommunications Market Regulation.

Mr Woods has held senior positions at the Centre for Developing Cities at the University of Canberra, the Australian Asia Management Centre at the Australian National University and a number of other senior appointments in Government.

Dr Robertson

is the John Gough Professor and Director of the Centre for the

Practice of International Trade at the Melbourne Business School at the University of

Melbourne. He has held several senior appointments at the Australian National University

and within Government.

21 December 2000
CANBERRA