We are pleased to announce the Australian membership of the Australia-Germany Advisory Group.
The Prime Minister and Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to establish the Advisory Group to examine ways to build even closer ties between Australia and Germany during Chancellor Merkel's visit to Australia for the G20 Summit and bilateral meetings last November.
While Australia and Germany have enjoyed a close bilateral relationship for over 60 years, the Prime Minister and Chancellor Merkel agreed that more could be done to build on these foundations for a stronger partnership.
Senator Mathias Cormann will co-chair the Advisory Group and lead the Australian members, who hold collectively significant experience in business, academia, science, government and the arts.
We welcome Chancellor Merkel's appointment of Minister of State Professor Maria Böhmer as Germany's co-chair.
The 15-member Australia-Germany Advisory Group will work to identify opportunities for increased trade and investment, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and other regions of the world, cultural and social links and scientific collaboration.
The Group will meet in Germany and in Australia before finalising and providing a report to Chancellor Merkel and the Prime Minister later this year.
The first joint meeting of the Australian and German members of the Advisory Group will be held in July in Berlin.
Australia-Germany Advisory Group Members
| Australian members | |
|---|---|
| Name | Designation and organisation |
| Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann | Minister for Finance Co-chair, Australia-Germany Advisory Group |
| Mr Michael Chaney AO | Chairman, National Australia Bank |
| Mr Jeff Connolly | CEO, Siemens Australia |
| Mr Peter Jennings PSM | Executive Director, Australian Strategic Policy Institute |
| Dr Nicholas Milton | Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, Canberra Symphony Orchestra Conductor, General Music Director, Saarländisches Staatstheater |
| Professor Brian Schmidt AC | Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University |
| Ms Lucy Turnbull AO | President, German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce |
| Mr David Ritchie AO | Australian Ambassador to Germany |
| German members | |
|---|---|
| Name | Designation and organisation |
| Professor Dr. Maria Böhmer | Minister of State, Federal Foreign Office Co-chair, Australia-Germany Advisory Group |
| Mr. Volkmar Klein | Member of the Bundestag and Chair of the Germany-Australian Parliamentary Friendship Group |
| Mr Barrie Kosky | Intendant (Director) of the Komische Oper Berlin |
| Mr Bernd Leukert | Member of the Executive Board and the Global Management Board of SAP |
| Professor Dr. Volker Perthes | Director, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik |
| Professor Anja Schwarz | Junior Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Potsdam |
| Dr. Christoph Müller | German Ambassador to Australia |
8 April 2015