LEICHHARDT MP Warren Entsch has welcomed the announcement that His Excellency the Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell will be appointed the new Chancellor of James Cook University in 2016.
“Bill is an outstanding JCU alumnus and a highly appropriate person to take over the reins from retiring Chancellor Lt Gen John Grey AC,” Mr Entsch said.
“John has done an unprecedented job during his tenure in March 2016, when the handover takes place, he will have been in the position for 17 years and is JCU’s longest-serving Chancellor.
“Compared to the humble beginnings when John started his term, JCU now contributes in excess of $150 million annually to Cairns and the tropical North.
“That is an incredible achievement and John should be extremely proud of the developments he has overseen in his time, ably supported by his wife Helen.
“He’s capped an outstanding career in the military with an outstanding career as Chancellor and I wish him all the best for his future endeavours.”
Mr Entsch said that with the appointment of His Excellency Mr Tweddell, he would be encouraging the JCU University Council to seriously consider reinstating the long-standing arrangement whereby if the Chancellor comes from Townsville, the Deputy Chancellor is appointed from Cairns.
“There is a precedent of doing this with the university’s two most senior positions and I would urge the Council to restore this balance by having the Deputy Chancellor appointed from within the Cairns community,” Mr Entsch said.
“It would be timely for this change to be effective before Bill takes his position in March 2016.”
