The Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM, has appointed Dr Sally Pitkin and Mr Mark Kenny to the nomination panel responsible for recommending candidates for the boards of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS).

Dr Sally Pitkin has been reappointed as a member of the nomination panel until 21 May 2022, and has also been appointed to the position of Chair of the Nomination Panel. Dr Pitkin was previously a member of the nomination panel until her term expired on 25 February 2019. Dr Pitkin is a Company Director, lawyer and Adjunct Professor with the University of Queensland Business School. Dr Pitkin holds Non-Executive Director roles in the listed, public and non-profit sectors.

Mr Mark Kenny has been appointed as a member of the nomination panel until 21 May 2022. Mr Kenny is a Senior Fellow at the Australian Studies Institute. His journalism career included positions as the chief political correspondent and national affairs editor at The Age, Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald. He makes frequent appearances on ABC’s Insiders program and Sky News’ Agenda. Mr Kenny is a director of the National Press Club.

The nomination panel:

• Conducts a selection process for non-executive Members and Chairpersons to the ABC and SBS boards, based on the principle of merit and having regard to the selection criteria provided by the Minister for Communications (the Minister).
• Provides the Minister (and in the case of the Chair of the ABC, the Prime Minister) with a written shortlist of at least three recommended candidates for each vacancy with a comparative assessment of the recommended candidates.

The Panel carries out its functions assisted by a secretariat within the Department of Communications and the Arts and, as required, a recruitment firm. The nomination panel appointments are made in accordance with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, following the resignations of Mr Ted Evans AC and Ms Anne Fulwood.

The nomination panel’s dates of appointment are: