About the Commission
Role of the Commission | Members of the Commission | The Secretariat
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 a Policy Statement issued, from time to time, by the Minister.
The Government, through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, 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 is comprised of a Chairperson and a Member, appointed on a part-time basis. Its office in Canberra is assisted by a small Secretariat.
Jane McKeon, Chairperson
Jane McKeon has experience in stakeholder engagement, regulatory affairs and governance across sectors including aviation, tourism, infrastructure, hospitality and insurance.
Jane is an independent non-executive director of Crown Sydney and chairs the board’s Risk, Compliance and Responsible Gaming Committee. She also provides advisory consulting services to the private and public sectors, with former clients including Zurich Cover-More and Western Sydney Airport. She has previously served on the Board of the Australian Government’s Council of Australia Latin America Relations and as a Commissioner of Tourism Western Australia.
Jane had a long executive career in the airline industry, joining Ansett Australia as a management trainee in the 1990s, and subsequently working with Qantas Airways (2002 to 2010) and Virgin Australia (2010 to 2018) leading engagement and advocacy with governments, regulators and industry bodies in Australia and internationally.
Jane holds Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Melbourne and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Tim Grimwade, Member
Throughout his career, Tim has developed expertise in competition and consumer law enforcement, competition policy and economic regulation across a range of industry sectors, including aviation. Tim worked at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for almost 30 years, including 25 years as a Senior Executive leading various Divisions, and served as a member of the ACCC Executive Management Board.
His work included leading the ACCC's assessments of merger and authorisation applications in respect of various airline alliances and other aviation arrangements.
Tim has extensive experience advising ministers, government departments and regulatory agencies, and engaging with consumer and industry stakeholders in Australia and internationally. He served as Australia's delegate to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Consumer Policy Committee from 2017 to 2024. Tim has also worked at the New Zealand Commerce Commission, where he was head of its Network Industries Unit, and at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet where he was the Department’s Senior Adviser on Competition Policy.
Recognised for his integrity and impartiality, Tim was recently appointed Chair of the Australian Finance Industry Association's inaugural Code of Practice Compliance Committee.
Tim holds Bachelor’s degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of Melbourne, and Master’s degrees in International Law and European law from the University of Stockholm. He is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
The Secretariat
The Commission is assisted in its work by a small secretariat. The secretariat is staffed by officers of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. The secretariat is headed by a Director, Jasmina Morling, supported by a Senior Adviser, Anna Ovari. These officers provide advice and assistance to the Commissioners on all aspects of the Commission’s operations.