ARM MEDIA RELEASE

ARM Appoints New National Director

The Chair of the Australian Republican Movement, Professor John Warhurst, announced today that the ARM has appointed Ms Allison Henry as its new National Director. Ms Henry will replace Mr Jim Terrie, the ARM's National Director since March 2000, who has resigned to take up an appointment with the International Crisis Group in Africa.

Professor Warhurst said, "After a public selection process which yielded some high quality candidates, we were able to select someone with the skills and dedication required to run the organisation and capitalize on our regeneration since the 1999 Referendum. Allison Henry has been involved with all levels of the ARM since 1995. Her work within the organisation's NSW Council as NSW Forums Coordinator and most recently as NSW Convenor, in addition to her membership of the ARM's National Committee, has given her a good insight into the ARM's needs from the grass roots to the national level."

Ms Henry's professional background is primarily in law and international relations. Most recently she has worked as a country researcher and legal officer with a Commonwealth government agency. She has undergraduate degrees in Arts and Law, a Masters degree in International Studies and is currently undertaking postgraduate study in international law at the ANU.

Ms Henry said that she was looking forward to the challenge of her new role within the ARM. She stated that her priority was "to continue to rebuild the ARM so that the organisation is ready for a future plebiscite regarding Australia's Head of State."

Professor Warhurst acknowledged the efforts of Jim Terrie, saying that "Jim became National Director in the aftermath of the '99 loss and faced a difficult task in reorganizing the ARM and regenerating public interest in the campaign for an Australian Head of State. Since then he has dealt with a wide variety of organizational and political issues and leaves the ARM in a strong position to achieve its aims."

Professor Warhurst added that the ARM's immediate priority was to become actively involved in the Inquiry into the Republic to be undertaken shortly by the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee. The work of this committee is an opportunity for the question of an Australian Head of State to return to the high priority that it deserves.

Allison Henry will commence as ARM National Director on Monday 4 August.

Further comment:
John Warhurst, Chair, 0439 498 283,
Jim Terrie, National Director, 0411 240 970
Allison Henry, National Director Designate, 0410 690 910