The Morrison Government has today reappointed Mr David Irvine AO as the Chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) for a further two-year period.
Mr Irvine was first appointed to the FIRB as a member in 2015 and subsequently appointed Chair in 2017. He has significant national security expertise as a former Director-General of both the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. He is also a former Australian Ambassador to China and former Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea.
The FIRB is a non-statutory body established in 1976 to advise the Treasurer on foreign investment.
It plays an important role in helping to ensure that foreign investment only occurs where it is in Australia’s national interest.
Mr Irvine has done an outstanding job as Chair over the last two years in dealing with the significant disruptions caused by COVID-19 as well as in effectively administering the Government’s substantial foreign investment reforms which took effect on 1 January 2021.
The reappointment of Mr Irvine will provide important continuity as the FIRB continues to deal with strong foreign investment interest in a complex global environment.