NewsBite

David Gonski

October

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will introduce merger law reforms to parliament on Thursday.

Government has listened to concerns on merger law reform

The targeted and balanced merger bill will see most mergers approved faster, with more time to consider the contentious ones.

  • Jim Chalmers

September

Philip Lowe

Philip Lowe is Barrenjoey’s new inside man

The former RBA governor has joined the board of the bank he once lashed out at, putting them in a penalty box.

  • Mark Di Stefano
Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar from Atlassian.

Big business called an emergency. The hotel obliged.

No sooner had Business Council of Australia CEO Bran Black declared a national emergency than loud sirens began ringing 

  • Myriam Robin

August

This year’s NAPLAN results make dismal reading as one in three students fail to reach national achievement benchmarks.

One in three pupils fails to meet baseline literacy, numeracy

The latest NAPLAN results also reveal a stubborn gap between test results of rich and poor children, highlighting the failure of schools to overcome disadvantage.

  • Julie Hare

July

Time running out to fix school funding sticking point

Here we are, 12 years later, with at least one school generation having finished their education, and there’s still no needs-based Gonski funding for disadvantaged students.

  • Doug Taylor
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June

‘First draft fairy:’ How corporate lawyers are using game-changing AI

Legal eagles inside some of Australia’s best-known companies are training themselves to stay competitive in the AI era.

  • Paul Smith
Laura Jones with her Archibald Prize-winning portrait of writer Tim Winton.

Portrait of ‘reluctant sitter’ Tim Winton wins Archibald Prize

Sydney artist Laura Jones has won the $100,000 award for her painting of the writer, who says he looks like he has “the weight of the world on his shoulders”.

  • Elizabeth Fortescue

December 2023

‘Like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory’: higher education’s bad year

2023 started well enough but as we hobble to the end of the year vice chancellors are asking: “what the heck just happened”.

  • Julie Hare

October 2023

David Gonski.

Gonski and Schott: Chalmers adds firepower to competition review

Highly regarded C-suite alumni Kerry Schott and David Gonski have been appointed to the expert panel advising Treasurer Jim Chalmers on competition.

  • Ronald Mizen
Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert will start as BCA president in February.

New Business Council president has a ‘secret sauce’

Sydney Airport boss Geoff Culbert has been appointed to the role as the council refreshes its leadership to navigate crucial policy negotiations with the Albanese government.

  • John Kehoe
From left, Stockland directors Christine O’Reilly and Melinda Conrad; Future Fund guardian Patricia Cross; Scentre chairman Ilana Atlas.

Australia’s most powerful directors revealed

As AGM season kicks off, the BOSS index of the country’s most influential board members reveals the era of the all-dominating chairman may be coming to an end.

  • Updated
  • Patrick Durkin

July 2023

Jason Clare at the ministerial reference group last Friday.

At last, urgent change for education seems possible

Will there finally be progress improving teacher training to ensure quality becomes the standard in Australia not reliant on the dedication of individual teachers?

  • Jennifer Hewett

June 2023

David Gonksi, left, and Peter Shergold, played a major role in transforming post-school education offerings.

Short, sharp and powerful: Why microcredentials are transformational

Peter Shergold is a central figure in changing the future of education in NSW and says microcredentials are a great benefit to the labour market.

  • Julie Hare

Groundbreaking institutes to build generations of job-ready graduates

NSW has launched two new institutes of applied technology that aim to equip graduates with the tools successful careers.

  • Mark Eggleton

May 2023

James Packer has donated $7 million to UNSW to advance research into mood disorders.

‘I have struggled’: Packer’s $7m mood disorder gift

James Packer’s turbulent personal history with mood disorders and mental health has prompted a generous gift to university research.

  • Updated
  • Julie Hare
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April 2023

David Gonski

Influential directors pledge support for Yes vote

A group of non-executive directors say good governance for Indigenous Australians requires proper consultation and engagement.

  • Tom McIlroy
On the way out: James Allsop in his chambers - sans law books - this week

Stay out of court, says outgoing chief justice

Federal Court chief justice James Allsop is leaving the job convinced that smart business people avoid court.

  • Michael Pelly

October 2022

Alister Henskens says training needs to keep up with the creation of new skills.

Are new institutes of applied technology the future of training?

The NSW government will next year launch two new training centres that will produce 26,000 people with advanced digital and construction skills within four years.

  • Julie Hare

September 2022

The Productivity Commission’s report card on the Gonski ‘reforms’ says “student outcomes have stagnated”.

An inquisition into Australia’s great school funding rort

The challenge now is remedial action to help the disadvantaged and other low-performing students that ‘giving a Gonski’ has left behind.

  • The AFR View
ANZ’s transformation includes retail growth via Suncorp and a flexible technology.

The two obvious signs ANZ bank is ‘renovating’

ANZ chairman Paul O’Sullivan sees a new period of change looming with ANZ Plus technology platform and the $5 billion acquisition of Suncorp playing a part.

  • James Thomson

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/person/david-michael-gonski-2pd