Former ACCC commissioner joins ACMA

A former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) staffer and an ex-radiocommunications regulator have been appointed to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) board, under the government's new merit-based recruitment criteria for public service officers.

Jennifer McNeill will continue her efforts in consumer protection from her time as ACCC commissioner between 2002 to 2007 with her new role at ACMA.

McNeill will also work as a special counsel to law firm DLA Phillips Fox.

Geoff Luther will join McNeill to represent spectrum regulation, after taking the role of specialist industry advisor for the Radiocommunications Consultative Committee (RCC) in March this year.

Luther was a full-time member of the former Australian Communications Authority from 2003 to 2005 and received the public service medal in 2006 for his work on Australia's spectrum allocation system.

ACMA veterans Johanna Plante and Rod Shogren have been reappointed to the board after becoming members since the body formed in 2005.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the appointments are part of a merit-based selection program for agency heads.

"[Plante and Shogren] will provide continuity and experience as ACMA prepares for future challenges in the converged communications environment," Conroy said.

"Luther and McNeill will complement the existing ACMA membership and provide valuable additional expertise."

ACMA member professor Gerrard Anderson announced his retirement on June 30 this year, after three years on the board specialising in regional telecommunications and IT.