Treasurer, the Hon. Scott Morrison today announced that he has appointed Ms Karen Chester, currently a full-time Commissioner of the Productivity Commission, as Deputy Chair. The Treasurer also announced that Mr Jonathan Coppel has been reappointed as a full-time Commissioner of the Commission for a five-year period.
The Commission is an independent authority established under the Productivity Commission Act 1998 and is the Australian Government's principal advisory body on microeconomic policy and regulation. The Commission's work covers all sectors of the economy and focuses on areas of Australian Government as well as State and Territory responsibility.
Ms Karen Chester was appointed a full time Commissioner with the Commission in December 2013. Ms Chester is currently working on the Intellectual Property Arrangements inquiry and the Superannuation Competitiveness and Efficiency research study and also working on a research project on Indigenous Primary School Education Outcomes: Key contributors.
Mr Jonathan Coppel, currently appointed as a full-time Commissioner to the Commission, brings valuable skills in economics with extensive international and domestic experience advising governments on macroeconomic, investment, energy, social, environmental and regulatory policy. Mr Coppel is currently a Presiding Commissioner on the Intellectual Property Arrangements inquiry and the Commissioner overseeing a research project on Disruptive Technologies: What do Governments need to do?
I congratulate Ms Chester on being appointed as Deputy Chair and Mr Coppel on his reappointment, and look forward to both of them continuing to make a significant contribution to the important work of the Commission.