Appointments to the Australia-China Council Board

Media release

16 December 2013

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has announced the appointment of Professor Sandra Harding and Mr Frank Tudor as members of the Australia-China Council Board.

Professor Harding, the Vice-Chancellor and President of James Cook University, is an economic sociologist and a distinguished higher education leader.

Professor Harding's current roles include Chair of Universities Australia, Co-Chair of the Steering Group for the New Colombo Plan, Director of Regional Australia Institute, Council Member of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Member of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation Advisory Board, and the Australian Research Council Advisory Council.

Mr Tudor, the Managing Director of Horizon Power, is immediate past President and the Chairman of the Board of the Australia-China Business Council. He has held various executive management roles over the last 25 years in the European, Asian and Australian oil, gas and power industries.

Mr Tudor has been a part-time lecturer in oil and gas economics and law at the University of Western Australia, and is the Vice-Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Energy and Resources Forum.

Professor Harding and Mr Tudor bring significant experience and knowledge of business and education sectors to the Australia-China Council Board.

They join the Council as Australia looks to further strengthen and diversify our economic and strategic engagement with China, revitalise Australia's international education sector and facilitate greater student and professional mobility, including through the New Colombo Plan.

The Australia-China Council was established by the Australian Government in 1978 to promote mutual understanding and foster relations between the two countries.

The Minister also announced the appointment of current Council member Professor Stephanie Fahey as Deputy Chair and reappointment of Ms Suhanya Raffel for another three year-term.