The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition and Consumer Policy, Chris Bowen MP, today announced the appointment of Mr Mark Johnson, retired Deputy Chairman of Macquarie Bank, to lead the Government's initiative to position Australia as a leading financial services centre.
Mr Johnson has gained considerable experience both domestically and internationally in the financial sector through his role at Macquarie Bank and the APEC Business Advisory Council. Mr Johnson is Chairman of AGL Energy and Chairman of Macquarie Infrastructure Group.
"I am very pleased that Mr Johnson is participating in this important initiative and I value the experience and expertise he brings to the role," Mr Bowen said.
"The financial services sector makes a substantial contribution to Australia's economic prosperity and the Government is committed to ensuring that the sector remains successful and dynamic and is able to capitalise on its strengths as well as on opportunities in the region.
"The Government is committed to working with industry in achieving this outcome and recognises that successful expansion into global markets requires a partnership between Government and the financial services sector."
Mr Bowen also announced the establishment of a Panel of Experts to further support the initiative. Mr Bowen announced that the following private sector experts will be joining Mr Johnson:
- Mr Paul Binsted, Former Managing Director, Lazard Australia,
- Mrs Patricia Cross, Non‑Executive Director, NAB,
- Mr Jeremy Duffield, Managing Director, Vanguard Investments Australia,
- Mr Craig Dunn, Chief Executive Officer, AMP and
- Mr John Story, Chairman Suncorp Metway.
An industry Reference Group comprising peak industry bodies, as well as the already established Treasury Taskforce, will support Mr Johnson and the other Panel members to identify the key priority areas necessary for ensuring Australia is positioned as the lead financial services centre in the region.
"This provides an ideal opportunity for ongoing dialogue between industry and government to ensure that we get the right policy settings necessary for Australia to capitalise on its comparative advantages and to benefit from opportunities in the region to grow Australia's financial services sector and in turn increase Australia's economic prosperity."
Information on the initiative including press releases, relevant papers and information on the progress of the initiative will be available at www.treasury.gov.au.
26 September 2008
See also: Promoting Australia as a Financial Services Centre, Keynote Address to the Committee for Sydney – 26 September 2008