The Federal Government has announced the membership of the advisory panel for the White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century

 

The Federal Government has cited a shift of economic and strategic weight to Asia as the fundamental impetus behind the advisory panel.

 

The White Paper will provide a national blueprint for Australia at a time of transformative economic growth and change in Asia. It will be tasked with assisting Australia navigate the Asian Century.

 

“The advisory panel brings together an exceptional array of experience from business, academia and government in meeting the opportunities and challenges the Asian Century poses for Australia,” Prime Minister Julia Gillard said.

 

The advisory panel will provide guidance to the whole-of-government task force, led by Dr Ken Henry AC, which will develop analysis and proposals for consideration by the Government.

 

So far, the following have been announced as follows

  • Professor Peter Drysdale – Professor Drysdale is regarded as the ‘intellectual architect’ behind APEC and has written extensively on international trade and economic policy in East Asia and the Pacific
  • Catherine Livingstone – Ms Livingstone possess extensive business experience, she is currently Chair of Telstra Corporation and a director of a number of other large Australian companies.
  • John Denton – Mr Denton is a partner and CEO of Corrs Chambers Westgarth. He possesses extensive working experience in Asia. He is a board member of the Asia Society AustralAsia Centre and one of three Prime Ministerial representatives on the APEC Business Advisory Council.
  • Dr Gordon de Brouwer – from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
  • Dr David Gruen – from the Treasury
  • Dr Heather Smith – from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

 

The development of the White Paper will include an extensive period of consultation with stakeholders from the Australian community, business, academia and international partners.

 

The taskforce is due to report to Cabinet in the first half of 2012, with the White Paper to be released in mid 2012.