Code Administration Committee
The Code Administration Committee is comprised of three independent members - including a Presiding Member and two other Members.Presiding Member
Bert Mowbray
After obtaining a degree in Rural Science and a postgraduate Diploma in Agricultural Economics, Bert Mowbray held positions in the Commonwealth and NSW public services and the University of New England working on a range of agricultural policy issues. These included structural adjustment, development of financing and banking facilities, assessment of trade practice issues associated with marketing arrangements and development of taxation and welfare measures for primary producers.During this time Bert completed a Bachelor of Laws degree at the Australian National University. This was followed by almost 20 years of legal practice for the Commonwealth Government, with particular emphasis on immigration, international, constitutional and administrative law and litigation.
In 2001 Bert was appointed to the Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal in Canberra and in 2004 made a Federal Magistrate sitting in Sydney and Canberra. He retired from the Federal Magistrates Court in 2008.
Bert was National President of the Australian Institute of Administrative Law from 2002 to 2004 and a member of its National Executive from 1992 to 2004.
Other Members
Ian Cox
Ian has an extensive background in agriculture, management and finance, from managing property development and cattle grazing operations in Western Victoria to assessing farmer's eligibility for financial assistance from the Victorian Government, providing management, finance and property investment advice through his Melbourne based Valuation and Farm Management Consultancy business and working within the Banking Industry as an Agribusiness Specialist for 17 years.Ian has formal qualifications in Agriculture, Management and Property Valuations and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Ian was a Board Member of the Second Phase of the National Dryland Salinity Programme which concluded in 2003. He is a Director and Shareholder of S D Reid Holdings Pty Ltd, a major producer and exporter of Cherries and a Member of the Longerenong College Advisory Council.
James Omond
In 2002, James established a firm which provides specialist legal services the wine industry. The firm's clients are predominantly medium to large, privately-owned businesses, but it has also provided advice to almost half of the 20 biggest wine companies in Australia and numerous smaller wineries and grape growers.James's expertise includes specific wine-industry operational advice, such as agreements for grape supply, contract winemaking and storage, distribution and agency, liquor licensing, wine equalisation tax as well as trade practices/competition advice.
He is a former recipient of the ACLA Young Corporate Lawyer of the Year award. He sits on the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation's Legislation Review Committee and is an Executive Committee member of the Victorian Wine Industry Association. He is a past-president of the Australasian chapter of the International Wine Law Association, a Board member of the international Association and is also the Honorary Counsel for Sommeliers Australia.
James has been the legal writer for the industry publications Wine Business Monthly, Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry Journal and National Liquor News.
Alternate Member
John Dickie
John Dickie has been the inaugural chairman of the Film Exhibition and Distribution Code of Conduct Administration Committee (FEDCAC), a position he has held since 1998.Before his appointment as Chairman of FEDCAC, he has been Chief Censor and Director of the Office of Film and Literature Classification for 10 years.
His appointment to those positions followed 20 years with the Australian Attorney General's Department. During that time he served as press secretary to six Federal Attorneys-General and later in senior administrative positions.
He also worked in private enterprise including nine years on The Age in Melbourne, five of which were as Chief Law Courts reporter.
Since his appointment as Code Chairman, he has also been the Communications Director of the HIH Royal Commission and from 2003 to 2007 was the Acting Privacy Commissioner for New South Wales.
In the eleven years since its inception, the Film Code of Conduct has developed a successful and fast dispute resolution procedure for code signatories. It has been found to be effective and easy to use and has resulted in a high level of problem solving with very few of the disputes ever reaching the full conciliation procedures.
The FEDCAC chairman and the code conciliator have worked closely to make sure these procedures remain accessible and effective.