About the Commission

Role of the Commission | Members of the Commission

Role of the Commission

The Commission was established under the International Air Services Commission Act 1992. The object of the Act is to enhance the welfare of Australians by promoting economic efficiency through competition in the provision of international air services, resulting in:

• increased responsiveness by airlines to the needs of consumers, including an increased range of choices and benefits; and
• growth in Australian tourism and trade; and
• the maintenance of Australian carriers capable of competing effectively with airlines of foreign countries

The Commission's role is to determine the outcomes of applications by existing and prospective Australian airlines for capacity and route entitlements available under air services arrangements. These determinations allocate the available capacity on a route to one or more carriers and set conditions, where these are considered appropriate. The Commission may conduct a review of a determination at any time, either at the request of the carrier concerned or if the Commission believes that there may be grounds for doing so. The Commission is also responsible for reviewing determinations after a specified period and providing advice to the Minister for Transport about any matter referred to the Commission by the Minister concerning international air operations.

In allocating capacity, the Commission assesses the merits of claims by applicants under specified public benefit criteria. These criteria are detailed in Policy Statements issued, from time to time, by the Minister.

The Government, through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, continues to have the responsibility for administering and negotiating Australia's air services arrangements. In this role, the Department is responsible for maintaining a Register of Available Capacity for use by the Commission and applicants. This register details the capacity available under each air services arrangement, and is updated to reflect changes in capacity entitlements arising from new negotiations and determinations by the Commission. The Department is also responsible for making operational decisions that authorise carriers to fly on each route based on the Commission's determinations.

Members of the Commission

The Commission comprises a part-time chairman and two part-time members. Its office in Canberra is assisted by a small Secretariat.

John Martin

Mr John Martin, Chairman (formally appointed in November 2003 for a three year term ending in November 2006). Mr Martin is a Commissioner with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) where he has responsibility for matters relating to small business and is Chairman of the ACCC Transport Committee. Mr Martin was Executive Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1989 until his appointment to the ACCC in June 1999. Previously Mr Martin had policy management roles in the Commonwealth Treasury and Industry Department and was for several years a regional industrial consultant with the United Nations based in South East Asia. Mr Martin has an Economics degree from the ANU.

Philippa Stone

Ms Philippa Stone, Member (formally appointed in July 2007 for a three year term ending in July 2010) Ms Stone is a partner in international legal firm Freehills, specialising in equity raisings, mergers and acquisitions and listed company reconstruction.  She has been involved in a number of Australia's largest equity raisings and landmark privatisations and financial services sector acquisitions over the past twenty years, and heads Freehills' Equity Capital Markets Group.  Ms Stone advised  the Commonwealth Government on the sale of Sydney Airport and acted on recent airport transactions involving the Northern Territory, Adelaide, Townsville, Mount Isa, Bankstown, Camden and Hoxton Park airports.  She is a member of the Government's Business Regulatory Advisory Group and the Australian Stock Exchange's Listing Appeals Committee. 

Ian Smith

Ian W Smith, Member (formally appointed in November 2007 for a three year term ending in November 2010).  Mr Smith has an extensive background in aviation and commerce particularly in the last 25 years in aviation insurance broking where he has held Managing Director roles with several international aviation brokers.  He has experience as a Company Director, currently being the Chairman of Aerospace Maritime and Defence Foundation of Australia, and Chairman of Aviation Development Australia Limited, with ADAL running the Australian International Airshow.  Also Mr Smith is a Board Member of Aviation Australia Ltd, Maritime Australia Ltd, and the Regional Aviation Association of Australia.  He has also been a consultant to the Department of Defence on aviation insurance matters.

Last Updated: 14 January, 2008