Ms Julie O'Neill:

I can state categorically that I have no political affiliations and have never been involved in any political campaigns. As chairperson, I will play an active role in chairing all the meetings. I believe the board meets between six and eight times a year at a minimum but my commitment to the NSAI is to do whatever is required for the chairperson to interact with the board and to conduct the business of the board along with working with management to ensure, as chairperson and as a board member, I represent the interests of the NSAI to the key stakeholders such as the Government, industry and various business lobbies.

With regard to my specific qualifications, my curriculum vitae was circulated but I am a pharmacist who has worked in the pharmaceutical industry since I graduated. I have worked as a qualified person, which is another qualification that means I am intimately familiar with the standards necessary for the placement on the market of any pharmaceutical product. I am familiar with the standards associated not only with good manufacturing and distribution practice in the pharmaceutical industry but closely allied to that are the standards developed by the NSAI because they inform much of the work we do in the industry. Metrology is an example. All our weights and balances are certified to the standards issued by the authority. I believe I have sufficient technical expertise to add value in addition to being able to provide the chairperson's governance role to the authority.