Today the New Zealand Government announced that it has appointed ACCC Commissioner Dr Jill Walker as a member of the New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) for a five year term.
Dr Walker’s term at the NZCC will commence on 1 December 2015. She will continue to serve as an ACCC Commissioner until early April 2016. This will allow Dr Walker to finalise her work on a range of important matters including the East Coast Gas Inquiry.
“Jill has extensive experience in the fields of trade practices and antitrust economics. While her departure will be a significant loss for the ACCC, I would like to congratulate Jill on her appointment. Jill has made an enormous contribution to the ACCC over the past six years and I am certain that the NZCC will greatly benefit from her expertise in much the same way that we have,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
Dr Walker was appointed as a Commissioner of the ACCC in August 2009 for a five year term. In August 2014 she was appointed for a further two years until August 2016. She is the Chair of the ACCC’s Mergers Review Committee and Adjudication Committee and is a member of the Enforcement Committee. Dr Walker is also an Associate Member of the New Zealand Commerce Commission and a member of the Bureau of the OECD’s Competition Committee.
As with all statutory appointments, the Government will give consideration to any future appointments to the ACCC in accordance with its usual processes.