I am pleased to announce a number of appointments to the Australian Competition Tribunal, which will substantially increase the amount of resources available to this important institution.
Firstly, the appointment of the President of the Tribunal, Justice Alan Goldberg, has been changed from part time to full time for the remainder of his term ending on 29 July 2008.
Justice Goldberg has been a judge of the Federal Court of Australia since 1997, and has been serving as President of the Tribunal since 30 July 2003. I thank him for his previous dedication to this position and his commitment to the future work of the Tribunal.
In addition, I am pleased to announce the appointment of two new Deputy Presidents to the Tribunal, Justice Robert French, of Perth, and Justice Raymond Finkelstein, of Melbourne, both for a period of five years. I look forward to them both making a strong contribution to the Tribunal’s work.
Justice French has been a judge of the Federal Court since 1986, and served as President of National Native Title Tribunal from 1994 to 1998.
Justice Finkelstein has served as a judge of the Federal Court since 1997, and was appointed Queens Counsel in 1986. He was also acting Victorian Solicitor General in 1992.
I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the late Justice Richard Cooper. I am sad for their loss and I pay tribute to the great service that Justice Cooper did, both in his role with the Tribunal and in his work for the Federal Court in its native title jurisdiction.
These appointments will increase the number of people holding appointments to the Tribunal to 14, consisting of a full-time President, and five Deputy Presidents and eight general members contributing on a part time basis as required.
BACKGROUND
The Tribunal was created in 1966 as the Trade Practices Tribunal. It was renamed the Australian Competition Tribunal in 1995. The Tribunal’s core function is to review a range of decisions under the Trade Practices Act 1974.
The Tribunal consists of presidential members — who must be federal judges — and other members who must be qualified by virtue of their ‘knowledge of, or experience in, industry, commerce, economics, law or public administration’. Members serve on a part time basis, or as required, for a term of up to seven years.