055/06
15 June 2006

ABC Board appointments

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, today announced the reappointment of Mr Donald McDonald AC as Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for a further six months, and the appointment of two new non-executive Directors.

“I am delighted that Mr McDonald has agreed to stay on as ABC Chairman until 31 December 2006. With the new Managing Director, Mr Mark Scott, starting on 5 July and the appointment of two new non-executive Directors, Mr McDonald will provide valuable consistency of leadership during this important transitional period,” Senator Coonan said.

Mr McDonald became ABC Chairman on 24 July 1996 and was reappointed for a further five years on 24 July 2001. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales and has been involved in the administration of arts enterprises for almost 30 years.

“I am also pleased to announce that Mr Peter Hurley and Mr Keith Windschuttle have been appointed as non-executive Directors to the ABC Board from 14 June 2006, each for a period of five years,” Senator Coonan said.

“I am confident that Mr Hurley's range of business and management experience will be an asset to the ABC Board, as will Mr Windschuttle's background in media, journalism and publishing.”

Mr Peter Hurley is a businessman in the hotels industry. He is currently National Senior Vice-President and State President of the Australian Hotels Association, and Chairman of Hospitality Group Training, the largest group apprenticeship and training scheme in South Australia. Mr Hurley has previously served as a Board Member (1997–2003) and Chair of the Audit Committee of the South Australian Tourism Commission, and as a Board Member of the Australian Tourist Commission (2000–04).

Mr Keith Windschuttle is an historian, author and publisher and a frequent contributor to major Australian and international newspapers, international journals and academic publications. He has had a number of books published and has worked as a journalist with the Daily Telegraph and Broadcasting and Television magazine. Mr Windschuttle has 20 years experience lecturing in Australian history, journalism and social policy at a number of Australian universities. He has also been a visiting or guest lecturer at a number of universities in the United States.