PM Transcripts

FOR PW; jSS: 66/ 14A
P. M. No. 99/ 1966
CHA IRMAN OF C OMMONZEALTH GRANTS C OMMISS ION
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. Harold Halt
Sir Leslie Melville, has been has been
appointed Chairman of the Commonwealth Grants Commission as from
tomorrow ( 1st October). Sir Leslie, who is already a member
of the Commission, will replace Mr. P. D. Phillips, C. M. G.,
whose term of appointment as Chairman expires today
September) Mr. Phillips has occupied the position of
Chairman of the Grants Commission since 1960. During his
period as Chairman, Mr. Phillips has made a significant
contribution to the work of the Commission and has maintained
the hig-, h standard set by his predecessors in this office.
The new Chairman, Sir Leslie Melville, has had
a distinguished career as an economist and has also occupied a
number of important positions in the service of both the
Commonwealth and State U'overnments. He was an Executive
Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development and the International Monetary Fund from 1950 to
1953, Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University
from 1953 to 1960, and Chairman of the Tariff Board from 1960
to 1963. Sir Leslie has also been a member of the Reserve
Bank Board from 1959 to 1963 and again since 1965. Prior to
his appointment as a member of the Grants Commission in 1965,
he occupied a senior position with the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development.
The Commonwealth Government is fortunate in
having the services of a man of Sir Leslie's standing and
experience. C ANBERRA, September, 1966