The Queensland man who can save your job

This is the Queensland man - a business leader who grew up on a cattle property in the state’s northwest - now in charge of saving as many Aussie jobs as possible.

BUSINESS leader Nev Power, who grew up on a cattle property in northwest Queensland, has been put in charge on the new committee tasked with saving as many Aussie jobs as possible.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a new National COVID-19 Commission which will be headed by captains of industry.

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It is intended to co-ordinate both private and public sectors during the crisis – linking the unemployed with new work in demand where possible.

It will also be tasked with solving supply chain issues, such as ensuring food is kept on supermarket shelves.

COVID-19 Coordination Commissioner Neville Power at a press conference in Canberra yesterday. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Mr Power, the former boss of Fortescue Metals, agreed to help after receiving a call from Mr Morrison asking him to “serve his country”.

He will be joined by captains of industry like Industry Super Australia chair Greg Combet, former Telstra boss and CSIRO chair David Thodey, former Toll boss Paul Little, Energy Australia boss Catherine Tanna and former senior public servant Jane Halton.

Mr Morrison said the commission would find links between private sector companies and between private and public sector operations, while it would also advise the Federal Government on ways to cushion to economic impacts from the virus.

“That commission's job, put simply, is to solve problems,” he said.

“Whether it's repurposing manufacturing lines, whether it's re-tasking workforces, that one day were taking calls for travel companies, now taking calls at Centrelink and ensuring that we're repurposing the workforce effort.”

Mr Power said his focus would be on minimising and mitigating the impact of the virus on the community: “Where there is a workforce that has no longer gainfully employed and where there's a workforce that it is needed; where there's equipment that can be redeployed; where we need to intervene to protect our critical supply chains and our utilities.”