NO.064

APPOINTMENT OF MR GRAEME SAMUEL AO AS ACCC CHAIRMAN

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Graeme Samuel AO as Chairman

of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for a five year

term from 1 August 2003.

Mr Samuel has been Acting Chairman since 1 July 2003, when Professor

Allan Fels AO resigned to become Foundation Dean of the Australia and

New Zealand School of Government.

As required by the Trade Practices Act, a majority of States and Territories

supported Mr Samuel’s appointment.

Mr Samuel’s extensive knowledge of and experience in competition law,

which includes serving as President of the National Competition Council,

clearly makes him highly qualified for the position.

I have recently written to the States and Territories seeking their support

for the appointment of Ms Louise Sylvan, Chief Executive Officer

of the Australian Consumers’ Association, as Deputy Chairperson of the

ACCC.

I have also recently written to the States and Territories to seek nominations

for persons to be considered for appointment as full-time members of

the Commission. This follows the resignation of Mr Ross Jones from the

ACCC to become the Deputy Chairman of the Australian Prudential Regulation

Authority.

Background

Mr Samuel was appointed to the National Competition Council in 1995 and

was the NCC’s President from 1997 until 30 June 2003. He was formerly

a partner of Melbourne law firm Phillips Fox & Masel and an executive

director of Macquarie Bank and is a former President of the Australian

Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He was appointed an Officer of the

Order of Australia (AO) in 1998.

This appointment maintains at 17 the number of persons appointed to the

ACCC. The full-time members currently are:

Chairman: Mr Graeme Samuel AO.

Full-time members: Mr Sitesh Bhojani, Mr John Martin, Ms Jennifer McNeill

and Mr Ed Willett.

CANBERRA

30 July 2003

Contact: David Alexander

02 6277 7340