Senator Ian Campbell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, today announced the appointment of Mr John Collingwood King as a New Zealand member of the Australian Takeovers Panel. Mr King's appointment is as an additional part-time member until 30 January 2003.
This is a significant appointment that will promote greater cooperation across Australian and New Zealand regulatory regimes and will further foster business relationships between the two countries.
Mr King is the first extra-territorial appointment to the Australian Takeovers Panel and will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge in New Zealand takeovers issues, including the New Zealand Takeovers Code.
He was a member of the original New Zealand Takeovers Panel Advisory Committee set up in 1991. He became Chair of that committee and then of the New Zealand Takeovers Panel from 1994. He has had extensive exposure to securities issues during his career as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and as a director of a number of public companies. He is senior partner in a New Zealand law firm.
Mr King's appointment forms part of a reciprocal arrangement between the Australian and New Zealand Governments for the appointment of a representative to each country's Takeovers Panel.
It follows on from the appointment of Mr Denis Byrne as an Australian representative to the New Zealand Takeovers Panel, which was announced by the New Zealand Minister of Commerce in October 2001.
29 January 2002
Contact: Georgia-Kate Schubert, Senator Campbell's Office
02 6277 3955 or 0419 265 234