PRIME MINISTER 60/ 92
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR GLENN WITHERS AS DIRECTOR OF THE
OFFICE OF THE ECONOMIC PLANNING ADVISORY COUNCIL
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor
Glenn Withers AO as Director of the Office of the
Economic Planning Advisory Council.
Professor Withers has made significant contributions to
the development and analysis of public policy in a number
of areas. He has been Professor of Economics at La Trobe
University since 1986 and has held a number of positions
on Government and academic boards. He has been a
consultant to both private and public organisations,
including the OECD. He brings strong research abilities
and valuable experience to the Office of EPAC. Professor
Withers has published extensively, concentrating mainly
on issues affecting the structure and efficiency of the
Australian economy, and the economic implications of
social policies. In the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours
List he was appointed as Officer of the Order of
Australia for his services to applied economics.
At the last EPAC meeting on 27 March 1992, 1 emphasised
the need for the Secretariat and the Council to
concentrate its research and analysis on medium term
issues. Professor Withers' appointment as Director of
the Office of EPAC will contribute importantly to
strengthening this focus of EPAC's work.
I would like to thank and commend Richard Whitelaw for
his capable administration of the Office of EPAC since
the departure of Fred Argy last year. The Office is well
positioned to complete EPAC's 1992 work program under its
new Director.
Professor Withers will take up his appointment on 8 July
1992. I am confident that under his leadership the
Office of EPAC will continue to make important and
constructive contributions to the economic debate in
Australia, and strengthen our understanding of many of
the important issues we need to address to meet the
challenges that face us in the 1990s.
CANBERRA 17 June 1992
SUMMARY CURRICULUM VITAE
GLENN ALEXANDER WITHERS
Personal Date of Birth: 27 August 1946; Melbourne, Australia
Academic Degrees PhD, Harvard University, 1975
AM, Harvard University, 1974
DEc, ( 1st Hons) Monash University, 1968
Awards and Distinctions
Officer, Order of Australia
Fellow, Academy of Social Sciences of Australia
Frank Knox Fellow
Robert Gordon Menzies Scholar
Fulbright Scholar
Faculty Appointments
1986-Professor of Economics, School of Economics, La Trobe University
1982-85 Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies,
Australian National University
1979-82 Associate Professor in Public Economics, School of Economics and
Financial Studies, Macquarie University
1975-78 Research Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies, Australian
National University
1971-74 Teaching Fellow, Economics Department and Kennedy School of
Government, Harvard University
Other Positions Held
1987-91 Chair, Commonwealth Government Inquiry into Population Issues
Chair, Advisory Committee, Bureau of Immigration Research
Chair, Migrant Skills and Qualifications Board, Victoria
Member, State Training Board
1986 Member, Official Australian Delegation, Ministerial Conference
on the Future of Migration, OECD, Paris
1981-82 Principal Economic Adviser, Commonwealth Department of
Employment and Industrial Relations