Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann

The Government has today made major changes to the Board and senior management of the NBN Co.

The changes are in line with the Government’s commitment to roll out the network sooner, cheaper for taxpayers and more affordably for consumers.

The Government has received offers of resignations from five of the seven NBN Co directors and one resignation.  The Government has accepted four of these offered resignations but has asked Dr Kerry Schott and Ms Alison Lansley to continue serving on the Board.

The tenure of the seventh director, Mr Brad Orgill, has been terminated.

With the approval of the Cabinet, the Ministers for Communications and Finance have appointed Dr Ziggy Switkowski to the Board as Chairman.

Dr Switkowski has also been appointed as Executive Chairman of the NBN Co, pending the appointment of a new Chief Executive to replace Mike Quigley, who announced his intention to resign from the position in July.

Dr Switkowski has had a distinguished career in the telecoms industry, including terms as Chief Executive of both Optus and Telstra.

Dr Switkowski said:  “I am greatly pleased, indeed honoured, to have been appointed to this role and I look forward to working with the Government and the NBN Co team to make this truly significant national project a success.”

These changes reflect the need to implement the new Government’s policy objectives and are not an adverse reflection on the professionalism of the members of the NBN Co Board.

The Government thanks all the outgoing directors and in particular Mr Mike Quigley and Ms Siobhan McKenna for their leadership and service to the company, often in very difficult circumstances, and for the professionalism and courtesy with which they have helped manage this transition.

The Government intends to nominate additional non-executive directors to the Board shortly.