Cormann will do justice to full OECD portfolio

The appointment of Mathias Cormann as the next Secretary-General of the OECD is welcomed by ACCI, Australia’s unique member of Business @ OECD (BIAC).

“The OECD works across 26 policy areas varying from agriculture to tax, wages to the digital economy and of course sustainable development – the full breadth of its significance should not be underestimated. It is the collective voice of the world’s leading economies and provides the horsepower behind the actions of the G20,” acting CEO Jenny Lambert said.

“The OECD also provides very useful measures of how our nation performs against peers.

“The Secretary-General has a very challenging job of assisting OECD members to come to consensus decisions – Mathias Cormann is the perfect fit for the role.

“Mr Cormann has the fiscal management and exceptional negotiation skills, illustrated through his time bridging partisan politics, to lead the OECD at this volatile time.

“Given this breadth of policy and leadership responsibility, it has been disappointing to see that some groups have only viewed the appointment through a lens of environmental issues. During his candidacy, Mr Cormann committed himself to act on this as well as other issues vital to Australia and the global economy.

“Most immediately in his new role, he will be well placed to assist OECD members along the path to overcoming the pandemic and its associated economic and social costs.

“As an active contributor to BIAC, we look forward to working with Mr Cormann and encourage him to engage strongly with BIAC members to consolidate a strong partnership between the international business community and OECD member nations.”