054/06
15 June 2006

SBS Board appointments

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, today announced the appointment of Ms Patricia Azarias as a Director of the Board of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), and the reappointment of existing Directors, Ms Jillian Broadbent AO and Mr Robert Cronin.

“Ms Azarias brings extensive financial and management experience that I am sure will complement the skills of the Board members. I am also very pleased that Ms Broadbent and Mr Cronin will continue to contribute their knowledge and experience in the fields of business and media respectively,” Senator Coonan said.

Ms Azarias has been appointed for five years with Ms Broadbent and Mr Cronin reappointed for five and four years respectively, all effective from 14 June 2006.

Ms Patricia Azarias is an economist, and recently returned to Australia after serving at the United Nations as Director of the Internal Audit Division for the past two years. Her previous positions include Director, Infrastructure Funding, NSW Department of Transport (2003); Chief Executive, Ministry of Urban Infrastructure Management and Director, Infrastructure Coordination Unit in the NSW Premier's Department (2002–03); and Director, Public Accounts Committee, Parliament of NSW (1991–2001).

Ms Jillian Broadbent AO is a consultant and company director. She is currently a Director of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Woodside Petroleum and Coca-Cola Amatil. She is Chairman of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts and Deputy Chair of the Gallery of NSW Board of Trustees. Ms Broadbent was formerly Executive Vice President/Director, Bankers Trust Australia and a Director of Westfield Management Ltd and Qantas Airways Ltd.

Mr Robert Cronin is a media consultant, with more than 35 years experience in the media. He was formerly Editor in Chief of Bell Publishing and West Australian Newspapers. He was a member of the Australian Press Council for 10 years, and has served in executive positions in the Australian Journalists Association (now the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance), and the Journalism Advisory Board at Queensland University. Mr Cronin was awarded the Ethnic Communities Council Award for Service to the Ethnic Communities in 1998.

SBS is Australia's multicultural and multilingual public broadcaster, providing radio and television services to millions of Australians each week.