Appendix 11 - FSANZ Board members, attendance, qualifications and experience
Food Standards Australia New Zealand Board expertise and experience (2006-07)
The Hon Rob Knowles, AO (Chairman)
The Hon Rob Knowles, AO [s.40(1)(a)], Chairman of the Board, is a consultant /adviser in the health sector and is currently chair of the Mental Health Council of Australia. Mr Knowles has a very high level of expertise in the field of public administration, having been a senior Minister in the Victorian Government for seven years, and has extensive knowledge of food regulation through his experience as Minister for Health.
Dr Michele Allan
Dr Michele Allan [s.40(1)(f)] has strong leadership experience across many facets of the food industry. Her areas of expertise include food science, food allergy, medical science, food safety, and biotechnology. Dr Allan is General Manager for Risk and Sustainability at Amcor Limited.
Mrs Elaine Attwood
Mrs Elaine Attwood [s.40(1)(d)] has a strong background in the field of consumer advocacy where she has served voluntarily for over twenty-five years, initially in a personal capacity and later with a number of consumer organisations. These include peak consumer groups such as the Consumers’ Federation of Australia, (formerly AFCO), Consumers’ Health Forum and The National Council of Women of Australia at the national level, and with Consumers’ SA, The National Council of Women of South Australia and the Department of Human Services at state level. She is also an associate member of the Complementary Health Association. Her particular consumer interests have centred on food, health and safety issues.
Dr Katrine Baghurst
Dr Katrine Baghurst [s.40(1)(e)] has been involved in research and in translation of research to practice in the nutrition field in both Australia and New Zealand over the past 30 years. Her extensive experience make her a specialist in relation to determining food choice, consumer needs, current dietary patterns in the community and nutritional and food education.
Mr Peter Boyden
Mr Peter Boyden [s.40(1)(g)] is an internationally experienced CEO with extensive general management and marketing experience gained in consumer foods businesses in Australia, UK, Netherlands and Greece. His most recent role was Managing Director and regional Board member of the Unilever Australasian foods business and a Board member of the Australian Food and Grocery Council. He currently acts as a business mentor for senior executives. His areas of responsibility have included the management of consumer marketing, product and packaging development, food production and general management, where he has focused on strategy development and portfolio management.
Dr John Craven
Dr John Craven [s.40(1)(f)] is a veterinarian with post-graduate qualifications in microbiology and pathology. His research interests have primarily been in the areas of identifying the causes of neonatal diarrhoea in animals and in preventing spread of food poisoning organisms from animals to people. He has been Director of the central Victorian veterinary diagnostic and research laboratory and held other senior positions in the Victorian Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (now Department of Primary Industries). Dr Craven was, for seven years, a Portfolio Manager for the Dairy Research and Development Corporation and is currently Director of Terip Solutions Pty Ltd. He has considerable experience in working with rural communities to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability by development and subsequent adoption of technology.
Dr Laurence Eyres
Dr Laurence Eyres [s.40(1)(c)] has expertise in food science. His present research and professional speciality is quality assurance and research and development of food products, particularly oils and fats, at the University of Auckland. He has worked in industry for over 30 years and brings a food technology, industry and New Zealand perspective to the Board.
Mr Peter Milne
Mr Peter Milne [s.40(1)(g)] has worked all his life in the Australia cattle industry and managed Cracow Station in Central Queensland for many years. He has been active in rural industry organisations and involved in training, industrial relations, on-farm QA, R&D and marketing. He was Chairman of the Red Meat Advisory Council in 2001, on the Executive of the National Farmers’ Federation for four years and President of the Cattle Council of Australia until November 2001. He is a member of the National Institute of Accountants and a Fellow of The Taxation Institute of Australia.
Mr Graham Peachey
Mr Graham Peachey [s.40(1)(b)] was the Chief Executive Officer of FSANZ until April 2007. He has a strong record of achievement as a senior executive in several regulatory bodies in both the health and agriculture portfolios. Mr Peachey has a Bachelor of Arts degree (ANU) and has undertaken further studies in economics and law. The Chief Executive Officer of FSANZ is an ex-officio member of the Board.
Ms Hikihiki Pihema
Ms Hikihiki Pihema [s.40(1)(ca)] is currently the Senior Dietitian at Gisborne Hospital, Tairawhiti District Health, Gisborne, New Zealand. She is a Maori dietitian with 32 years experience in a range of clinical, administration, management, community, public health, Maori health, education and policy settings within New Zealand. In 1994, Ms Pihema was awarded the New Zealand Dietetic Association’ s (NZDA’s) highest honour, the Award of Excellence in Nutrition Education for her involvement in the provision of nutrition education to Maori. Ms Pihema is also a past President of the NZDA and has assisted in the strengthening of collaborative links between the NZDA and the Dietitians’ Association of Australia.
Mr Owen Symmans
Mr Owen Symmans [s.40(1)(c)] is currently Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council Ltd. He has a varied background, having worked for Federated Farmers of New Zealand, Government and the dairy and meat industry.
Dr Peter Williams
Dr Peter Williams [s.40(1)(f)]brings to the Board a strong background in public health, food science, food allergy, human nutrition and food safety. Dr Peter Williams is a Associate Professor in the School of Health Science in the Department of Biomedical Science at Wollongong University and leads the regulatory affairs work of the National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods. Before his employment at Wollongong, Peter was the Director of Scientific and Consumer Affairs at Kelloggs for three years, and previously worked as the Chief Dietitian and Food Services Manager at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Peter served a two year term as President of the Dietitians Association of Australia from 2001 and has served on NHMRC working parties for the review of Dietary Guidelines for Australia and the review of recommended nutrient intakes, as well as a member of the steering committee for the Heart Foundation’s Pick the Tick program.
Note: The reference after each member’s name refers to the role specified in section 40 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 which the member fulfils. All members, with the exception of the CEO of FSANZ, are part-time. Members are listed alphabetically after the Chairman.