2001 ANNUAL REPORT - Contents Page

The Board

RIRDC Board 2000/2001, Left to Right:
Helen Cameron, Paul Donaghue, Margaret Britz, Peter Core, Beth Woods, John Herbert, Simon Hearn, Robert Clark. Absent: George Gardiner

This section outlines key aspects of the Corporation’s governance practices in
2000/2001 Composition
The Corporation’s Board is comprised of nine Directors: the Chair, Deputy Chair, Government Director, five other Directors and the Managing Director.
Appointment
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry appoints eight of the Directors and the Board appoints the Managing Director. Six of the Directors are nominated by a selection committee established by the Minister in consultation with the National Farmers’ Federation, the Australian Egg Industry Association and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation for a period of up to three years.
Expertise
The Directors are selected from a wide cross-section of the rural business community and together have brought to the Corporation expertise in production, processing, marketing, R&D administration, business management, technology transfer and environmental and ecological matters.
Term
The term of the six Directors nominated by the Selection Committee runs to 30 June 2002. Four new Directors were appointed for three years from 1 July 1999. The Government Director serves as directed by the Government. The Chair’s term was renewed for another three years from 19 February 2001. The Managing Director’s term runs to 27 May 2002.

Board Membership (as at 30 June 2001)

Professor Beth Woods OAM
Chair
Professor Woods is the foundation Suncorp Metway Professor in Agribusiness at the University of Queensland’s Gatton campus.
She has a background in agricultural extension and research management in Queensland, specialising in field crops and horticulture.
She was formerly a member of the CSIRO Board and is the current Chair of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and the Chair of the Rural R&D Chairs Committee.
Re-appointed 19 January 2001 for three years
B. Agr.Sc(Hons), D.Phil (Oxon), MAICD.

Mr John Herbert
Deputy Chair
Mr Herbert is Managing Director of The Goya Solution, a management consultancy specialising in assisting organisations to define and achieve their corporate goals.
He has special expertise in international agribusiness and is currently Chair of the Board of the CRC for Tropical Plant Pathology and is RIRDC’s representative on and the Deputy Chair for the CRC for Sustainable Rice Production. He is also a director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Golden Casket Lottery Corporation.
Re-appointed 1 July 1999 for three years
Company Directors Diploma.

Professor Margaret Britz
Non-Executive Director
Chair, Board Performance Committee
Professor Britz holds the Foundation Chair in Food Science and is Head of the Gilbert Chandler Campus at the University of Melbourne.
She is currently Chair of the Rural Innovation Advisory Council, a member of the Food Safety Council of Victoria, and was the former Principal Adviser, Science and Engineering Policy with the Department of State Development in Victoria. Professor Britz is also the former Chair of the Environment Council of Victoria.
She is also a board member of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation.
Re-appointed 1 July 1999 for three years
B.Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D.

Ms Helen Cameron
Non-Executive Director
Chair, Board Audit Committee
Ms Cameron is Deputy Chair of Foodbank NSW Ltd, a director of Foodbank Australia, Amrad Corporation Limited, TDG Logistics, and the Sydney Catchment Authority. She is also a director of, and adviser to, Burdett Buckeridge & Young Limited. She is a member of the NSW Food Forum and is on the editorial board of JASSA. She was formerly Head of Research with a leading stockbroking firm, and was involved in capital raisings for a number of food and agribusiness companies.
Appointed July 1999 for three years
BSc, MBA.

Dr Paul Donaghue
Non-Executive Director
Dr Donaghue is a former chief scientist with Orica now conducting his own consultancy focusing on the development and implementation of technology strategy. His career has been largely concerned with the management of technology based groups and with issues of technology development and exploitation. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. He is a past president and current executive member of the Australian Industrial Research Group.
Appointed July 1999 for three years
BSc, PhD, FTSE, FAICD.

Professor Robert Clark
Non-Executive Director
Chair, Board HumanResourcesCommittee
Professor Clark is Professor and Head of School of Agricultural Science at the University of Tasmania and founding Director of the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research. He has extensive research experience and practical experience as owner of a diversified horticultural operation. Currently he sits on the Tasmanian Board of Agricultural Education and the Tasmanian Rural Industry Training Board and holds several other directorships with agricultural organisations.
Appointed July 1999 for three years
BAgrSc(Hons), PhD.

Dr George Gardiner
Non-Executive Director
Dr Gardiner is the Chairman of the Ord River District Co-operative and the Kimberley Development Commission in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, where he and wife Elaine run a banana and sugarcane farm. He maintains his own consultancy with extensive experience in ecology, horticulture, pastoralism and community development.
Appointed July 1999 for three years
BSc, PhD.

Dr Simon Hearn
Government Director
Dr Hearn, is the Executive Manager, Market Access and Biosecurity, with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Australia. Dr Hearn has extensive experience and knowledge of government policy development, public administration and management. He has a background in agricultural management, economics research, industry policy and international trade. Dr Hearn has been a director of a range of agricultural and energy authorities.
Appointed 16 February 2000.
PhD., BSc (Hons).

Mr Peter Core
Managing Director
First appointed 27 May 1996. Mr Core has experience in agriculture-related fields and public sector administration.
Re-appointed 27 May 2000 for two years
B.R.Sc., M.Ec.

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