Food Standards Australia New Zealand Board

Under the FSANZ Act, the FSANZ Board is selected by the Australian Minister for Health and Aging in Consultation with the Food Regulation Ministerial Council and must include qualified people from all walks of life . The Board of FSANZ numbers twelve.  Members of the Board have been drawn from specialist areas - public health, food science, human nutrition, consumer affairs, food allergy, medical science, microbiology, food safety, biotechnology, veterinary science, primary food production, the food industry, food processing or retailing, small business, international trade, food regulation, consumer rights and consumer affairs policy, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and government. All members are part-time, except the FSANZ Chief Executive Officer.

The Board meets at least five times a year and it can also convene through teleconferences to discuss urgent issues. Outcomes of FSANZ Board meetings are published regularly through the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website.  

The Board

Note: The reference after each member’s name refers to the role specified in section 116 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 which the member fulfils.  All members, with the exception of the CEO, are part-time.  Members are listed alphabetically after the Chairman and CEO.  

	Ms Philippa Smith AM Ms Philippa Smith, AM [s.116(1)(a)] was appointed Chair of the FSANZ Board in July 2008. Ms Smith is a former Commonwealth Ombudsman, CEO of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia and the inaugural Chair of the Consumer’s Health Forum. She currently serves on the boards of a number of organisations, including the Australian Institute of Public Health and the Sax Institute. Ms Smith has developed strong strategic skills and extensive experience in ensuring effective accountability and governance structures across a number of portfolios.
	Mr Steve McCutcheon (Chief Executive Officer) Mr McCutcheon [s.116(1)(B)] was appointed CEO of FSANZ in October 2007. Prior to his appointment, Mr McCutcheon held a number of senior executive positions in the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. During that time he led the team that developed the new food regulatory framework for Australia and New Zealand under the auspices of the Council of Australian Governments. He also led the Australian delegation to annual sessions of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Mr McCutcheon holds a Bachelor of Economics degree and has undertaken further studies in public law and public policy.
	Dr Michele Allan Dr Michele Allan [s.116(1)(f)] has strong leadership experience across many facets of the food industry.   Her areas of expertise include food science, food allergy, food safety, food manufacturing, food packaging innovation and bioinformatics.  She has had senior executive positions with Bonlac Foods Limited, Kraft Foods, ICI, Nestle and Amcor Limited.  Michele was CEO/MD of Patties Foods Limited a listed food company and is currently a non-executive director of William Angliss Institute and CaroMel Ocean Limited.
	Professor Katrine Baghurst Professor Katrine Baghurst [s.116(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, notably at the CSIRO Human Nutrition Division. Her extensive experience makes her a specialist in relation to determining food choice, consumer needs, current dietary patterns in the community and nutritional and food education. Professor Baghurst is a member of the National Health Committee of the NHMRC and is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine, University of Adelaide and currently works as a Nutrition Consultant.
	Mr Peter Boyden Mr Peter Boyden [s.116(1)(g)] is an internationally experienced CEO with extensive general management and marketing experience gained in consumer foods businesses in Australia, United Kingdom, 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 and is a non-executive director of Meat and Livestock Australia, Stuart Alexander and Dairy Innovation Australia Ltd. 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 Laurence Eyres   Dr Laurence Eyres [s.116(1)(c)] has expertise in food science and technical management and his present research and professional speciality is quality assurance and research and development of food products, particularly oils and fats. He has worked in industry for over 30 years and brings a food technology, industry and New Zealand perspective to the Board. He is currently Business Development Director, Food and Nutrition, at Auckland University.
	Ms Jenni Mack  Ms Jenni Mack [s116(1)(d) ] has worked in consumer affairs since 1993 when she was Executive Director of the Australian Federation of Consumer Organisations. Her work has spanned food, chemicals, telecommunications, energy and financial services policy incoporating areas such as industry self-regulatory and co-regulatory practices, professional standards and codes of practice. Ms Mack has worked closely with regulators and government agencies on good regulatory science, community education, licensing, best practice enforcement and compliance schemes, and community and social research projects.
	Dr James (Gardner) Murray Dr Gardner Murray [s.116(1)(f) ] has extensive experience in food safety and veterinary science. He holds numerous high level positions including Non-Executive Governing Board Member at the Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, and special adviser to the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE). Dr Murray has extensive experience in the field of agricultural food safety and standards, zoonoses and emerging threats.
	Associate Professor Winsome Parnell  Associate Professor Winsome [s.116(1)(ca) ]  Parnell is currently the Director of Nutrition for the National Nutrition Survey, New Zealand. She has extensive experience in human nutrition and infant feeding practices in New Zealand and the Pacific. Dr Parnell has been involved in various consultations including for FSANZ on Nutritional Claims on Foods in 2000. Her work has included providing technical advice to government, industry and public health organisations on nutrition matters.
	Dr David Roberts Dr David Roberts [s.116(1)(g) ] is a Food and Nutrition Consultant with extensive experience in health and science. He has expertise in public health, food science, food allergy, human nutrition, food safety, food industry, food processing/retail, government and regulation. Dr Roberts has held senior positions at the Australian Food and Grocery Council and the University of Newcastle and served as the NSW Branch Chair of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology.
	Dr Peter Williams Dr Peter Williams [s.116(1)(f)] brings to the Board a strong background in public health, human nutrition, food service management and consumer studies. Dr Williams is an Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences at the Wollongong University and led the regulatory affairs work of the National Centre of Excellence in Functional Foods. Before his employment at Wollongong, Dr Williams 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. Dr Williams 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
	Ms Dianne Yates Ms Dianne Yates, [s 116(1)(c) ] M.Ed. (Howard, USA), B.A. (Victoria, Wellington), Dip Tchg, NZCTC, LTCL.  MsYates is a former Labour Member of Parliament in New Zealand, retiring in her 15th year in the House.  During this period she chaired the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Select Committees, as well as the Government Administration Select Committee and the Education and Science Committee. She also served for three terms on the Regulations Review Committee of the New Zealand Parliament and has been a member of the Health Select Committee. The Human Assisted  Reproductive Technology Act in New Zealand was a private members bill in her name. Prior to Parliament MsYates has had a career in education  (teaching and management) in New Zealand, UK, Zimbabwe and USA at the secondary and tertiary levels. MsYates continues to serve the community on the local WINTEC Council, Trust Waikato, and the New Zealand Learning Media Limited.

 

Register of FSANZ Board Members' Interests

Like all statutory boards of management the FSANZ Board is required by law to declare any possible conflicts of interest and exclude themselves from any decision making that could be considered a conflict. Under subsection 50(6) of the  Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 , entries recorded in the register of Board members' interests must be published on the Internet [ pdf ]

FSANZ Board Charter    

The FSANZ Board Charter outlines the objectives of the Board and the various roles and responsibilities of FSANZ Board members   [ word | pdf 139 kb  ]

FSANZ Board Outcomes

Outcomes of FSANZ  Board meetings are published regularly.