MEDIA RELEASE Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer

19 December 1997

APPOINTMENTS TO THE AUSTRALIA-INDIA COUNCIL

I am pleased to announce the appointment of four new members, and the re-appointment of one sitting member, to the Board of the Australia-India Council for three years.

The four new members are:

• Ms Betty Churcher, AO, of Wamboin, NSW, Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Cross Cultural Studies at the Australian National University and former Director of the National Gallery of Australia;
• Mr Darren Gribble, of Melbourne, an international trade adviser and former Australian High Commissioner to India;
• Mr Hamish McDonald, Foreign Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald; and
• Mr Shabbir Wahid, a Melbourne businessman and former President of the Australia-India Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, Mr John Gillett of Melbourne has been re-appointed to the Council for a further three-year term. Mr Gillett is Director, International, of Kinhill Pty Ltd and Co-Chair of the Australia-India Joint Business Council.

The appointment to the Australia-India Council of these eminent Australians will bring a diverse range of skills and backgrounds to the task of developing Australia's relationship with India.

The Government has worked hard to expand Australia's political, commercial and cultural links with India, and is actively pursuing new opportunities opened up by the Australia India - New Horizons promotion in India in late 1996.

The Australia-India Council is playing a substantial role in this process by initiating and supporting collaboration in a range of areas such as public health, law, the environment, education, technology, agribusiness, the news media and the arts.

The new appointments to the Council will further strengthen its capacity to promote lasting links between Australia and India.