The opportunity
Updated September 2026
Help shape the future of Australia’s grains industry by joining a Grains Australia Commodity Council.
Commodity Councils bring together people with knowledge and experience from across the grains value chain to inform Grains Australia’s strategic priorities and industry-good activities. Members contribute market and supply chain insights and other relevant knowledge, test ideas and help shape outcomes for their commodity and the wider Australian grains industry.
Grains Australia is seeking expressions of interest for its Barley, Oat, Oilseed, Pulse and Wheat Commodity Councils from people who can bring relevant expertise, independent judgement and a commitment to whole-of-industry outcomes. Council member appointments are skills-based, not representative of any organisation.
Why participate?
Commodity Council membership provides an opportunity to bring industry knowledge and practical experience into strategic discussions, contribute to priorities affecting your commodity, work with respected people from across the value chain and help Grains Australia deliver outcomes that benefit the industry as a whole.
What Commodity Councils contribute:
- Considering strategic priorities, proposed activities and investment priorities across Grains Australia’s core functions – classification, trade and market access, and market insights and education and providing advice to the Board.
- Providing advice on annual and strategic classification requirements, proposed classification amendments, and the technical and consultative structures that support effective market access, promotion and education outcomes.
- Providing high-level perspectives on technical and operational frameworks and key processes supporting the timely and effective delivery of market-driven commodity-classification systems.
- Sharing market and supply chain insights and other observations from members’ own networks and operations.
- Identifying additional activities and opportunities aligned with Grains Australia’s purpose and industry-good outcomes.
- Considering progress, impact, outcomes and Grains Australia’s financial implications and constraints when advising on priorities.
- Supporting wider industry consultation and discussion when requested by the Council Chair at the direction of the Executive and Board.
What is involved
Members are ordinarily appointed for a three-year term. To establish or maintain staggered rotation, the Board may set an initial or replacement term of two, three or four years. Reappointment is not automatic. Councils meet on a structured annual cycle aligned with the Board cycle and financial reporting, comprising three core meetings:
- Project Planning & Funding (February to mid-March);
- Evaluation & Feedback (June/July); and
- Strategy & Risk (September/October, held in person).
The first two meetings may be held in person or by video conference. Short virtual intersessional meetings of approximately one to two hours may also be held for management updates, cross-commodity matters or time-sensitive issues.
Members should allow at least half a day for each core meeting and up to a full day for an in-person meeting, plus preparation and travel. Members are expected to attend, prepare by reading the papers in advance and contribute actively. Proxies and alternates are not permitted.
Remuneration
Members may elect to provide their participation pro bono. Grains Australia will record and may acknowledge those contributions and may report them as in-kind contributions when seeking external project investment. Pro bono contributions do not accrue for later reimbursement or redirection to other Council activities.
Members who do not elect to participate pro bono are eligible for a sitting fee for participation on meeting days and reimbursement of reasonable approved travel, parking and accommodation expenses. Sitting fees are not paid for travel or meeting preparation. Grains Australia determines the remuneration level having regard to the Australian Government Remuneration Tribunal rate for holders of part-time public office.
Please see Grains Australia Commodity Council Terms of Reference for more information.
Eligibility and member obligations
Members are appointed in their personal capacity and must exercise independent judgement. A person is not eligible for appointment while employed in an executive capacity by, or holding an executive office-bearer position in, a grains industry representative organisation. A non-executive directorship does not itself make a person ineligible but must be disclosed and may need to be managed as a potential conflict. Appointees must comply with Grains Australia’s governance documents and policies, disclose and appropriately manage interests, maintain confidentiality and complete required induction and appointment documentation.
Who we are looking for
Grains Australia is seeking people with relevant skills, experience and networks across the grain supply chain, including research, breeding, growing, nutrition and technical grain quality, trade, storage and handling, market insights and education, and end users such as processors and consumers.
If you can contribute strategic thinking, practical expertise and a commitment to whole-of-industry outcomes, we encourage you to apply using the online form below.
For any questions or enquiries, please contact commodity.councils@grainsaustralia.com.au
How appointments are made
All expressions of interest will be considered by the Council Selection Committee, a committee of the Grains Australia Board. The Committee will assess applicants against the final Commodity Council Terms of Reference, the relevant skills matrix and the requirements of the vacancy. It will make recommendations to the Board, which makes the final appointment decision. Applicants who are not appointed may, with their consent, have their expression of interest retained for consideration against a future vacancy.
In considering applicants, the Council Selection Committee will look at:
- Alignment of the applicant’s skills and experience with the skill set sought for the vacancy;
- the existing composition and skills balance of the Council, including representation across the supply chain; research, breeding, growing, nutrition, trade/storage and handling, and end users (processors and consumers);
- strategic capability i.e., an understanding of the broader Australian and global grains industry, industry structures, and the issues likely to challenge the industry;
- industry networks, and a willingness to pursue and advocate for whole-of-industry outcomes;
- presentation and communication skills, including the ability to work in a team environment that reaches decisions by consensus;
- technical experience and demonstrated competence in the applicant’s chosen area of the Australian grains industry; and
- diversity and geographic spread, including gender, background and experience within the grains supply chain.
The criteria are considered across the Council as a whole. Individual applicants are not expected to meet every criterion.
Submit your expression of interest
To express your interest in joining a Grains Australia Commodity Council, please complete the Expression of Interest form.
Your responses will help the Council Selection Committee assess your skills, experience, perspectives and potential contribution against the requirements of the relevant vacancy and the Council’s overall needs. Please answer each question concisely, use specific examples where possible and focus on the areas in which you can make the strongest contribution.
EOI Commodity Council 2026
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