Allan Fels
Encyclopedia
Professor Allan Fels is an Australia
n economist
, lawyer
and public servant. He was most widely known in his role as chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
(ACCC) from its inception in 1995 until 30 June 2003. Upon his retirement from the ACCC he became foundation Dean of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government
(ANZSOG), a position which he continues to hold. He is also currently an Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University
, a Professorial Fellow in the Department of Political Science at the University of Melbourne
, and a consultant to law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler. In addition, Fels is the heading the Victorian Taxi Industry Inquiry
and, as part of that, has been appointed as chairperson of the Taxi Services Commission
.
Australian Story
ran a program on him and his family in 2002.
. He was educated by the Jesuits at St Louis School
before commencing a Law/Economics degree at the University of Western Australia
, where he was Guild President and resident at St Thomas More College, a residential college at the University. He was involved in the Liberal Party
at university before heading to Duke University
in the United States
to undertake his Ph.D.
After leaving Duke University, Fels was appointed as a Research Fellow in the Department of Applied Economics, University of Cambridge
, where his Duke Ph.D thesis was published as The British Prices and Incomes Board by Cambridge University Press
. This set the stage for his interest in wages policy and price regulation.
Fels returned to Australia in 1972 to take up a lectureship at the University of Melbourne, but soon after moved to Monash University where he was offered the job of Senior Lecturer. Fels was appointed as Professor of Administration at Monash University in 1984 and was the Director of the Graduate School of Management, Monash University from 1985 until 1990.
His first move into the regulation area was a part-time role as the ACTU's
nominee on the Whitlam
government's Prices Justification Tribunal. He was later Prices Commissioner, Victoria
from 1982-1991.
It was during this time that Fels gradually converted to a belief in the primacy of competition to reform economies and to control inflation. After running the Prices Surveillance Authority under the Hawke
government, Fels was appointed to the TPC just as competition policy became the buzz issue. Fels was Chairman of the former Trade Practices Commission from 1991 until 1995 and Chairman of the Prices Surveillance Authority from 1989 until 1992.
As head of the TPC and ACCC
, Fels became one of the economy's most influential figures - and probably one of the most important and activist regulators Australia has ever seen.
Fels was the Co-Chairman of the Joint Group on Trade and Competition at the OECD from 1996 until 2003.
He was awarded the Order of Australia
in June 2001.
In 2003, Fred Brenchley wrote a book entitled 'Allan Fels: A Portrait of Power' about Fels and his contribution to Australian competition law and policy.
In 2005 he was inducted as an honorary member of the Monash University Golden Key Society
.
In 2003, Fels argued that the retirement age should be raised above 65 in order "to offset the economic costs of our ageing population".
In 2009 he was appointed a part-time Productivity Commission Associate Commissioner for the inquiry into Regulation of Director and Executive Remuneration in Australia.
Professor Fels is a member of the Alfred Health Board and Chairs the Haven Foundation which supports accommodation for the long term mentally ill. He is a Patron of the Mental Health Council of Australia and a member of the National Advisory Council on Mental Health. He is also a Patron of Creativity Australia.
In May 2011, Professor Fels was appointed to lead the Taxi Industry Inquiry
, a major inquiry into the taxi industry and taxi services in Victoria
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and public servant. He was most widely known in his role as chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...
(ACCC) from its inception in 1995 until 30 June 2003. Upon his retirement from the ACCC he became foundation Dean of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government
Australia and New Zealand School of Government
The Australia and New Zealand School of Government is an educational institution that teaches strategic management and high-level policy to public sector leaders....
(ANZSOG), a position which he continues to hold. He is also currently an Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, a Professorial Fellow in the Department of Political Science at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, and a consultant to law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler. In addition, Fels is the heading the Victorian Taxi Industry Inquiry
Taxi Industry Inquiry
The Taxi Industry Inquiry is an inquiry being conducted in the State of Victoria, Australia by the Taxi Services Commission into the taxi industry and taxi services in that State. The Inquiry is headed by Professor Allan Fels, the former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission...
and, as part of that, has been appointed as chairperson of the Taxi Services Commission
Taxi Services Commission
The Taxi Services Commission is the independent Government agency responsible for conducting a major inquiry, the Taxi Industry Inquiry, into taxi and other small commercial passenger vehicle services in the State of Victoria, Australia...
.
Family
Fels is married to Isabel Cid and has two daughters, Isabella and Teresa Fels. The ABC'sAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
Australian Story
Australian Story
Australian Story is a national weekly documentary series, produced and broadcast on ABC Television.Since 1996 Australian Story has featured many Australians from diverse backgrounds and reputations...
ran a program on him and his family in 2002.
Biography
Fels was born and raised in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. He was educated by the Jesuits at St Louis School
St. Louis School, Claremont, Western Australia
St. Louis School was a Catholic boys’ school in Claremont, Western Australia, between 1938 and 1976.-History:St. Louis School was a Catholic boys’ school founded by the Jesuits – their only school in Western Australia. It opened on 23 May 1938 in Claremont in the western suburbs of Perth, on the...
before commencing a Law/Economics degree at the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
, where he was Guild President and resident at St Thomas More College, a residential college at the University. He was involved in the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
at university before heading to Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to undertake his Ph.D.
After leaving Duke University, Fels was appointed as a Research Fellow in the Department of Applied Economics, University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, where his Duke Ph.D thesis was published as The British Prices and Incomes Board by Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
. This set the stage for his interest in wages policy and price regulation.
Fels returned to Australia in 1972 to take up a lectureship at the University of Melbourne, but soon after moved to Monash University where he was offered the job of Senior Lecturer. Fels was appointed as Professor of Administration at Monash University in 1984 and was the Director of the Graduate School of Management, Monash University from 1985 until 1990.
His first move into the regulation area was a part-time role as the ACTU's
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
nominee on the Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
government's Prices Justification Tribunal. He was later Prices Commissioner, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
from 1982-1991.
It was during this time that Fels gradually converted to a belief in the primacy of competition to reform economies and to control inflation. After running the Prices Surveillance Authority under the Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
government, Fels was appointed to the TPC just as competition policy became the buzz issue. Fels was Chairman of the former Trade Practices Commission from 1991 until 1995 and Chairman of the Prices Surveillance Authority from 1989 until 1992.
As head of the TPC and ACCC
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...
, Fels became one of the economy's most influential figures - and probably one of the most important and activist regulators Australia has ever seen.
Fels was the Co-Chairman of the Joint Group on Trade and Competition at the OECD from 1996 until 2003.
He was awarded the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in June 2001.
In 2003, Fred Brenchley wrote a book entitled 'Allan Fels: A Portrait of Power' about Fels and his contribution to Australian competition law and policy.
In 2005 he was inducted as an honorary member of the Monash University Golden Key Society
Golden Key International Honour Society
The Golden Key International Honour Society is an Atlanta, Georgia-based non-profit organization founded in 1977 to recognise academic achievement among college and university students in all disciplines....
.
In 2003, Fels argued that the retirement age should be raised above 65 in order "to offset the economic costs of our ageing population".
In 2009 he was appointed a part-time Productivity Commission Associate Commissioner for the inquiry into Regulation of Director and Executive Remuneration in Australia.
Professor Fels is a member of the Alfred Health Board and Chairs the Haven Foundation which supports accommodation for the long term mentally ill. He is a Patron of the Mental Health Council of Australia and a member of the National Advisory Council on Mental Health. He is also a Patron of Creativity Australia.
In May 2011, Professor Fels was appointed to lead the Taxi Industry Inquiry
Taxi Industry Inquiry
The Taxi Industry Inquiry is an inquiry being conducted in the State of Victoria, Australia by the Taxi Services Commission into the taxi industry and taxi services in that State. The Inquiry is headed by Professor Allan Fels, the former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission...
, a major inquiry into the taxi industry and taxi services in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.