The Albanese Labor Government has made a range of appointments to arts bodies and cultural institutions to ensure they remain under strong leadership.
- Mr Tony Ayers has been appointed as a member of the Council of the National Museum of Australia for a three-year term.
- Ms Sue Hampel OAM has been reappointed to the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council for a three-year term.
- Mr John Barrington AM has been reappointed as Deputy Chair to the National Portrait Gallery Board for a three-year term.
Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the appointees would lend a deep well of expertise to guide the administration of these important organisations.
"Each appointee brings years of dedication and experience across the arts and public sectors that positions them well for these roles.
"Protecting our beloved cultural institutions for future generations means having the best leadership in place to safeguard them."
Mr Tony Ayres is an award-winning Australian director, producer, showrunner, screenwriter, and editor with more than 33 years' experience in film and television. Mr Ayres' feature films and television shows have been nominated for over 100 Australian and international awards, and have won more than 60 of these awards - including an International Emmy, a BAFTA, a Golden Horse, six AACTA awards, and six Logies. Mr Ayres is Executive Producer at Tony Ayres Productions, a Member of the Advisory Board of Australians in Film, and a Company Director at Big and Little Films.
----
Ms Sue Hampel OAM has been a member of the National Archives Advisory Council since 2019. Ms Hampel is working as a teaching associate and research assistant at the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University and is a well-known public speaker and lecturer. She holds a Masters degree in Holocaust and Genocide Studies and is the co-President of the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. Ms Hampel has been recognised for her teaching and community service by receiving numerous awards including a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2014, for Service to the community through the promotion of understanding and tolerance.
Ms Hampel is a representative of the Australian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). She is an expert in Holocaust education and served as the International Chair of the Education Working Group in 2021.
----
Mr John Barrington AM has served as Deputy Chair on the National Portrait Gallery of Australia Board since May 2022. He is co-founder and previously Managing Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) company Artrya Ltd, developing AI solutions to improve the diagnosis of heart disease and is Managing Director of Barrington Consulting Group. He is Chair of John Curtin Gallery and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and a Director of Health Translation Group Ltd. He was previously Chair of Perth International Arts Festival, Deputy Chair of Creative Partnerships Australia, Deputy Chair on the Federal Government's Creative Economy Taskforce and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Commerce from Curtain University in 2022. In 2019 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community of Western Australia
