The Albanese Labor Government has made a range of new appointments to the boards of cherished national institutions and a body supporting the Australian literary sector.
- Mr Zareh Nalbandian to the Board of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia for a 3-year term.
- Distinguished Professor Sean Ulm and the Hon David Templeman to the National Library of Australia Council both for 3-year terms.
- Dr Tiffany Tsao to the Public Lending Right Committee for a 3-year term.
Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the appointees would bring a breadth of expertise to their respective boards.
"Having the right people with the right experience in arts, governance and industry is essential to ensuring our national institutions continue to operate effectively.
"Each of these appointees have a passion for Australia's arts and culture and will provide great value to the sector."
Mr Zareh Nalbandian is the co-founder of global VFX and animation studio Animal Logic. He is the founder and CEO of production companies Animal Logic Entertainment and Truant Pictures, bringing over three decades of experience in developing and producing large-scale screen projects. Through partnerships with major studios and streaming platforms in Hollywood, he has built a successful portfolio of animated, indie and hybrid family-film franchises for both theatrical and streaming releases. Dedicated to fostering talent, Mr Nalbandian supports mentorships, residencies, and educational initiatives within the arts and creative industries, aiming to cultivate diverse and sustainable careers.
Distinguished Professor Sean Ulm is a Distinguished Professor of Archaeology at James Cook University and Director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, the Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences and has authored over 150 scholarly publications. His contributions have been recognised through the Bruce Veitch Award for Excellence in Indigenous Engagement and the Rhys Jones Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Archaeology. He served as a member of the University of Queensland Fryer Library Advisory Committee for nearly a decade and led projects to make collections visible and accessible to First Nations communities.
The Hon David Templeman is a former Minister for Culture and the Arts, Heritage, International Education, and Sport and Recreation in the Western Australian Government. As Minister, Mr Templeman presided over the construction and opening of the award-winning Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip and oversaw the commitment to and building of Western Australia's first film facility, Perth Studios. Mr Templeman served as a Member of the Parliament of Western Australia from 2001 until 2025, representing the seat of Mandurah. In 1994, he was elected to the Mandurah City Council and subsequently became Deputy Mayor of Mandurah in 1997. He has also served as a board member of various arts organisations and has been an active participant in the Western Australian arts and cultural sector. Mr Templeman is a passionate advocate for Australia's collecting institutions and is particularly interested in their engagement with young Australians.
Dr Tiffany Tsao is a writer, literary translator and deputy editor of the Sydney Review of Books. She has previously worked as an editor at Asymptote, InterSastra, and digital newsletter project The Circular. Dr Tsao's third novel, Under Your Wings, was longlisted for the 2019 Ned Kelly Award and her fourth novel, But Won't I Miss Me (2026), is forthcoming with HarperCollins. Her translations of Indonesian fiction and poetry have been awarded the NSW Premier's Translation Prize, the PEN Translation Prize, and longlisted for the International Booker Prize. She lives on Gamaragal land, holds a PhD in English from UC-Berkeley, and is a founding member of the seams - a small collective of individuals who translate Southeast Asian literature into English.
