Desert Knowledge CRC is directly managed by a small,
professional, non-representational Board of Management, which acts
according to the fiduciary and professional standards of the
Corporations Act 1990. The Board members are appointed by the
signatories to the Centre Agreement, and take advice from a
shareholder group of all signatories (the Participants Forum?).
The Board is led by an independent Chair and independent Deputy
Chair, one of whom must be Aboriginal. There are 6 other appointed
members (plus the Managing Director), at least three of whom will
provide an end-user perspective, and at least two of whom will
provide an Aboriginal viewpoint. The 8 non-executive Board members
are selected to encompass knowledge of desert issues, corporate
governance, commercialisation, public investment, R&D,
Aboriginal knowledge and experience, and education and training, as
well as providing some geographic spread in their connections
across inland Australia.
Six electoral colleges – (i) NT Government, (ii) CMAE
(Ag.WA/Curtin U), (iii) Commonwealth through OIPC, (iv) NTU and
CSIRO, (v) DPC and CLC, and (vi) the remaining signatories to the
Centre Agreement –each nominate at least two candidates, and
the Board Chair convenes a representative of each electoral college
as a Selection Panel to select the best balance of Board skills
including one member from each electoral college's nominees. This
satisfies sectoral and geographic interests but also allows a
balanced portfolio of skills to be achieved, with a majority of
independent or user-oriented members. The members are not
representational, being required to act in the best interests of
Desert Knowledge CRC, but are expected to consult actively with
those partners and stakeholders in Desert Knowledge CRC related to
their particular expertise.
The Board has two standing Committees, Audit and Risk Management
and Intellectual Property and Ethics
Chair
Mr Paul Wand (Bondi, NSW)
Deputy Chair
Mr Noel Bridge (Perth, WA)
Members
Prof. John Taylor (Gatton, QLD) was selected from nominees of
Charles Darwin University and CSIRO
Mr Harold Furber (Alice Springs, NT) was selected from nominees of
the Central Land Council and the Desert People’s Centre
Mr Roger Smith (Howard Springs, NT) was selected from nominees of
NT Government
Ms Glenise Coulthard (Port Augusta, SA) was selected from nominees
of the Commonwealth government.
Mr Mark Chmielewski (Padbury, WA) was selected from nominees from
the WA Government Department of Agriculture and Curtin
University.
Ms Fran Kilgariff (Alice Springs, NT) was selected from nominees
from JCU, Griffith University, University of SA and Murdoch
University.
Ms Jan Ferguson (Alice Springs, NT) is the Managing Director of
the Desert Knowledge CRC.
