The Professional Standards Agreement was signed in October 2005, by the Attorneys General of each state and territory and the Commonwealth Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer. Under the Agreement, all the states and territories agreed to appoint the same members to each of the eight Professional Standards Councils.

There are a total of 11 members on the Council: two nominations each from NSW and Victoria and one nomination from the remaining states, territories and the Commonwealth. The table below contains a summary of the current members on the Councils. Click on the name of the member for more information on that member.

Council member		Nominated by
Brian Rayment	Chairman, LIAC	New South Wales
Hugh Plaistowe		Western Australia
Esther Alter	ARMC, LIAC	Victoria
Robert Beaton		New South Wales
Terry Evans	LIAC	South Australia
Ronald Farrell	ARMC	Victoria
(Vacant)		Queensland
Jo Metcalfe	ARMC	Australian Capital Territory
Madeline Ogilvie	LIAC	Tasmania
Iain Summers (Vacant)	ARMC	Northern Territory Commonwealth

ARMC = Audit and Risk Management Committee
LIAC = Legal Issues Advisory Committee

Biographical details of council members

	Brian Rayment QC | Chairman | BA, LLB Brian Rayment was admitted to the NSW Bar in 1970 and practices throughout Australia, specialising in insurance, transport law and general commercial law. From 1972 to 1974 he lectured in law (part time) at the University of Sydney. Brian has also served as a member and Honorary Treasurer of the NSW Bar Council, Chairman of the Legal Aid Commission of NSW and a Member of the NSW Legal Services Tribunal. Top of page
	Esther Alter | BEc, LLB, MBA, MAICD Esther Alter brings a wide range of experience in consumer law and dispute resolution to the Councils. As a Member of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), she was involved in conciliating and adjudicating on consumer law matters. Esther has worked in a range of consumer, legal and management roles in the Victorian and Commonwealth governments. Her professional interests are in the areas of governance, management, service evaluation and organisational development. Esther is a Board Member of the Chiropractor Registration Board of Victoria and a Board Member of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria. Top of page
	Robert Beaton | LLB, BArch(Hons), BSc(Arch), RAIA, ANZIIF (Senior Associate) Robert Beaton is currently the National Product & Underwriting Manager at CGU Professional Risks Insurance and has been dealing with professional indemnity insurance since 1976. He is also Chairman of the Professional Indemnity Committee of the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) and has been involved on several other ad hoc committees and task forces set up by ICA in respect of Insurance Contracts Act amendment and by APRA in respect of the National Claims and Policies Database.
	Terry Evans | LLM Terry Evans is engaged as Specialist Counsel for Minter Ellison Adelaide. Prior to that he was the Deputy Chief Executive and then Acting Chief Executive for the Justice Department and South Australian Attorney General’s Department (2004-March 2006). He was the Chief Commercial Counsel for the Crown Solicitor’s Office from 1996-2004. Before that Terry was a partner with Minter Ellison. Terry holds a number of board positions in the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors. Top of page
	Ronald Farrell Ronald Farrell provides professional advice to both the public and private sectors. Ronald’s current positions include: board member of the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority; member for Municipal Association of Victoria Insurance Committee of Management; Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) ‘Responsible Officer’ for MAV Financial Services Licence. He has been a member of the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board, its Audit and Remuneration Committees (1994-2003). His 38-year insurance career culminated as General Manager of the Australian Eagle Insurance Group (General Division) until 1992 including directorship of subsidiary companies. During that time he was also involved in various industry committees. He was involved in the ground up establishment of a rural industry Occupational Superannuation Fund.
	Joanne Metcalfe | BLArch (Hons), MBA Joanne Metcalfe is the Business Group Leader for Buildings and Service Line Leader, Architecture at the professional services company GHD Pty Ltd in the Canberra office. She has been an active member of the property industry in the Canberra region for the past eight years, currently holding the position of Vice President of the Property Council of Australia, ACT. She has formerly worked in landscape architecture with Team Design Australia and as a Principal at the architectural firm peckvonhartel (formerly Robert Peck von Hartel Trethowan). She has also served in the National Communications Unit and as State Manager of the ACT branch of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
	Madeleine Ogilvie | BA, LLB, Grad Certificate of Business (AGSM), MAICD Madeleine Ogilvie is a Tasmanian based barrister. Madeleine has a wide range of professional experience in Australia and internationally including the provision of legal and strategic management advice to key private and public sector organisations. She has held senior roles in business, general management and the legal profession. Madeleine has particular expertise in infrastructure and major commercial contracts. Her key areas of professional interest are in the fields of telecommunications, the arts and intellectual property commercialisation. Madeleine is the Deputy Chair of the Tasmanian Council of Professional Bodies, member and Company Secretary of the Tasmanian Community Foundation, Chair of the Infrastructure Panel of the Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board, Director of the Salamanca Arts Centre Ltd, member of the board of Kidsafe (Tas), Founder of Early Years Parents & Friends (Tas), member and Deputy Chair of Taskforce on Care Costs, member of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Ball Committee, member of Eat Well Inc Board and provides pro-bono support to a range of Tasmanian not-for-profit and arts organisations. Top of page
	Iain Summers | B Comm, LLB (Hons), Grad Dip Management Psychology, FCA FCPA FAICD FAIM Iain Summers provides governance and management advice and assistance to community services and public sector entities and small to medium sized commercial enterprises. He was a partner of the chartered accountancy firm Pannell Kerr Forster in Darwin from 1982 to 1992, and the General Manager of Corporate Services for the Northern Territory Tourist Commission from 1993 to 1994. From 1995 to 2002 he was the Northern Territory Auditor-General. He is a company director of commercial and community sector entities and a member of audit committees for private and public sector entities.
	Top of page