The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Senator Ian Campbell, today announced the appointment of two new members to the Australian Statistics Advisory Council (ASAC).
They are the current Australian of the Year and founding Director of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Perth, Professor Fiona Stanley, and former senior Western Australia and Northern Territory public servant Mr Haydn Lowe.
Professor Peter Dawkins, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Commerce at the University of Melbourne, has been re-appointed to the council. All appointments are for three years, effective from 1 April 2003.
Senator Campbell said that ASAC had an important role in determining the shape of official statistics and the new appointments would broaden its range of experience and skills.
"We are fortunate to have people of the calibre of Professor Stanley, Mr Lowe and Professor Dawkins making themselves available as members," he said.
Professor Stanley is a child health researcher and advocate. She has held a number of high profile positions in the community and is currently a member of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council.
Professor Dawkins has also been Director and Ronald Henderson Professor of the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research, University of Melbourne, since 1996 and is currently a member of the Federal Government's Welfare Reform Consultative Forum. Professor Dawkins was first appointed to ASAC in 1999.
Mr Lowe has had extensive experience with numerous state government departments in WA and the NT, most recently as Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Community Services in Darwin.
The latest ASAC annual report can be found on the Australian Bureau of Statistics web site, <www.abs.gov.au>
CANBERRA
19 March 2003
Contact: Wayne Grant 02 62773955 or 0407 845280