New director for chemical safety scheme

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11 April 2007
BM05/07

Dr Marion Healy has been appointed the new director of the Australian Government’s industrial chemical safety regulator, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS).

Her appointment was announced today by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Brett Mason.

“I welcome the appointment of Dr Healy, who brings both scientific and administrative expertise to the position,” Senator Mason said.

“This is an important position in the health portfolio. Under Dr Healy, NICNAS will continue the high standard of regulatory oversight that it has been providing to Australia.”

NICNAS’s role is to protect workers, the public and the environment from possible harmful effects of chemicals used in a wide variety of industries. It assesses all chemicals new to Australia as well as chemicals already in use where there are concerns about their safety or sustainability.

Until recently Dr Healy was the chief scientist for Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. She also has broad experience in other government agencies, including the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

NICNAS works closely with industry, the community and state and Australian Government agencies, including the Therapeutic Goods Administration, to regulate matters of public concern - such as the recent examination of the supply of cosmetics.

NICNAS also plays an important role in ensuring that chemical risk assessment activities are within internationally agreed principles of ecologically sustainable development.

Dr Healy will start duty on 26 April 2007 and will be based in Sydney for the duration of her appointment.

Media contact: Paul McGlew - 0401 991 487