The Federal Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, has announced new appointments to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) including the new chair Justice Annabelle Bennett AO.

 

“Justice Bennett has a PhD in biochemistry and an outstanding record of service to the Australian community, through the Federal Court, the Adminstrative Appeals Tribunal, as an arbitrator and as a leader in universities and non-government organisations,” Ms Plibersek said.

 

Justice Bennett is joined by 13 new members of the Council, who will join the Chief Medical Officers of the Commonwealth, States and Territories to lead the NHMRC through the 2012 2015 triennium.

 

Five Principal Committees, comprising over forty wide ranging experts from consumers, ethicists, researchers and health practitioners, have also been appointed to support Council and the CEO of NHMRC.

 

The NHMRC Council Appointments for 2012-15 are:

Council Chair

The Hon Justice Annabelle Bennett AO, Federal Court of Australia, NSW

Members

Professor Chris Baggoley, Chief Medical Officer for the Commonwealth, ACT

Ms Carol Bennett, Executive Director, Consumer Health Forum, ACT

Dr Rosemary Bryant, Commonwealth Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, ACT

Dr Paul Kelly, Chief Health Officer and Executive Director of Population Health, ACT Government Health Directorate, ACT

Mr John Brown, Director, Sydney Water, NSW

Dr Kerry Chant, Chief Health Officer, NSW Ministry of Health, NSW

Professor Greg Dore, Head of the Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program, University of NSW and Infectious Disease Physician, St Vincent’s Hospital, NSW

The Hon Michael Egan, Chair, Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology and Chancellor, Macquarie University, NSW

Professor Kathryn North, Douglas Burrows Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Associate Dean, University of Sydney; and Head, Institute for Neuroscience and Muscle Research, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, NSW

Clinical Professor Ian Olver AM, Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Council Australia and Clinical Professor, University of Sydney, NSW

Associate Professor Anthony Shakeshaft, Assistant Director, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW, NSW

Professor Robyn Ward, Clinical Associate Dean and Professor of Medicine, University of New South Wales, NSW

Dr Barbara Paterson, Chief Health Officer and Executive Director, Health Protection Division, Northern Territory Dept of Health and Families, NT

Associate Professor Noel Hayman, University of QLD and Clinical Director, Inala Indigenous Health Services, QLD Health, QLD

Professor Claire Wainwright, QHealth Research Fellow, Royal Children’s Hospital, QLD

Dr Jeannette Young, Chief Health Officer, QLD Health, QLD

Professor Paddy Phillips PSM, Chief Medical Officer, SA Health, SA

Professor David Roder AM, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, University of South Australia, SA

Professor Anne Kelso AO, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, VIC

Dr Rosemary Lester, Chief Health Officer, Dept of Health, VIC

Dr Craig White, Chief Health Officer, Dept of Health and Human Services, TAS