Primary Industries Research and Development Act 1989

A Selection Committee must not nominate a person for appointment to an R&D Corporation unless the person appears to the Selection Committee to be suitably qualified for appointment because of expertise in one or more of the following fields:

commodity production;

commodity processing;

commodity marketing;

conservation of natural resources;

management of natural resources;

science;

technology and technology transfer;

environmental and ecological matters;

economics;

administration of research and development;

finance;

business management;

communication;

public administration.

Before making a nomination for appointment to an R&D Corporation, the Selection Committee must consult the Chairperson (if any) of the Corporation, on the appropriate balance of expertise and experience of directors of the Corporation that, in the Chairperson’s opinion, would best ensure the effective performance of the Corporation’s functions.

In making a nomination, the Selection Committee must choose from the available candidates the person who will best ensure that the directors of the R&D Corporation concerned collectively possess:

an appropriate balance of expertise in as many as possible of the fields referred to in subsection (1), having regard to each designated primary industry sector in relation to the Corporation; and

experience in board affairs.

A person may be nominated by a Selection Committee even if, on one or more previous occasions:

a proposal for a nomination for the person’s appointment to an R&D Corporation has been rejected at a meeting of a Selection Committee; or

the Minister has rejected such a nomination.

The Selection Committee must not invite nominations under paragraphs 130(2)(a) to (c) in relation to the appointment if:

the Selection Committee is satisfied that a person included on a list made within the previous 18 months under paragraph 130(2)(d) is suitable for nomination by the Selection Committee; and

the person has not been included on a list of persons given to the Minister under paragraph 132(2)(b) in relation to the appointment.