Tourism Australia is governed by a nine-person Board of Directors, which had four female members in 2019/20. As prescribed in Part 3 of the TA Act, the Board’s main responsibilities are to ensure the proper and efficient performance of Tourism Australia’s functions and to determine its policies. A copy of the Board’s charter is available here: https://www.tourism.australia.com/content/dam/assets/document/1/7/3/n/g/2010940.pdf

In 2019/20, the Board’s main area of focus was guiding our response to the bushfire crisis and COVID-19, to provide advice on our strategic direction and approach to leading and supporting Australia’s tourism industry during this difficult time. The Board also continued to provide strong advocacy for one-voice activities with STOs and governments across Australia.

The Board is accountable for ensuring that Tourism Australia fulfils our statutory mandate, and that the organisation acts in line with the general policies, guidelines and directions of the Australian Government.

Under the Board Charter, the Board’s responsibilities include:

• Setting our strategic direction – including approving strategies and targets, and establishing policies
• Monitoring Tourism Australia’s business
• Communicating with the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
• Complying with general government policy as directed by the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and according to Tourism Australia’s statutory obligations
• Determining, upholding and promoting our corporate values and Code of Conduct
• Ensuring that Tourism Australia performs its functions and exercises its powers in a manner consistent with, and designed to give effect to, the current corporate plan and annual operational plan
• Selecting and monitoring the performance of the Managing Director
• Reviewing the performance of executive management
• Ensuring our corporate governance is sound, including our risk management, legal compliance, strategic direction and organisational structure.

In addition to these responsibilities, the Board must balance Tourism Australia’s competing demands, remain independent from executive management, and consider the interests of stakeholders and the wider public.

Tourism Australia holds directors’ and officers’ liability insurance to the amount of $100 million with Comcover, the Australian Government’s general insurance fund.

The Board meets regularly. During 2019/20, six board meetings were held - one in Hobart, one in Mumbai, two in Sydney and two remotely via teleconference from Sydney due to COVID-19 restrictions. An industry event was held to coincide with the Hobart board meeting, enabling the Board to discuss Tourism Australia's activities with Tourism Tasmania's Board as well as tourism operators and government colleagues. Our Board also participated in industry roundtables (in person and remotely) to support bushfire crisis and COVID-19 recovery efforts. Table 19 provides a summary of directors’ attendance at board meetings in 2019/20. An outline of their qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience is provided in in the Board Profiles section.