MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am pleased to announce the new Consultative Council of leading Australians
to assist the Centre for Democratic Institutions (CDI) with its promotion of
democracy, human rights and good governance in the Asia Pacific region.
The members of the Consultative Council represent a diverse range of
backgrounds, skills and political views, which exemplifies the Centre's
mission to harness Australian best practice in support of democratic governance
in developing countries. The Council will provide guidance and advice to CDI on
policy and strategic directions.
Establishing CDI at the Australian National University was an initiative I
launched in 1998. As part of Australia's aid focus on strengthening
governance in the region, the Centre primarily supports two key areas of
governance: parliamentary and judicial processes.
CDI provides short, intensive training courses to people working in key
public institutions and encourages the exchange of information and public
debate in our region. It provides more than 1000 training days per year and has
trained 2000 people across the Asia Pacific region.
CDI has helped establish lasting links between judicial and democratic
institutions in Australia and the region, including between: the NSW Judicial
Commission and the Philippine Judicial Academy; the Commonwealth Ombudsman and
the Ombudsman offices of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands;
and Commonwealth and State Parliaments and their Pacific counterparts.
The Hon Chris Gallus MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign
Affairs will chair the Consultative Council. Other members are:
- Dr Andrew Southcott MP, Federal Member for Boothby, South Australia;
- Mr Kevin Rudd MP, Federal Member for Griffith, Shadow Minister for Foreign
Affairs; - Mr Brian Loughnane, Federal Director, Liberal Party of Australia;
- Mr Geoff Walsh, Federal Director, Australian Labor Party;
- The Rt Hon Sir Ninian Stephen, KG, AK, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, former Governor
General; - Mr Andy Becker, Australian Electoral Commissioner;
- Professor Ian McAllister, Director, Research School of Social Sciences at
the ANU; - Mr Andrew Hall, Federal Director, National Party of Australia;
- Mr Lynton Crosby, Joint Managing Director, Crosby Textor Research Strategies
Results; - Mr Gary Gray, AO, Principle Strategic Adviser, Woodside Petroleum; and
- Ms Annmaree O'Keeffe, Deputy Director General, Pacific, Contracts and
Corporate Policy, AusAID (ex officio)
The Council is holding its inaugural meeting today.
Contacts:
Chris Kenny (Minister's Office) 02 6277 7500 or 0419 206 890
Jo Elsom (AusAID) 6206 4960 or 0412 804 489