Airservices Australia appoints Aircraft Noise Ombudsman

Airservices Chair Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK, AFC (Ret’d) has today announced the appointment of Ms Narelle Bell as Australia’s next Aircraft Noise Ombudsman. Ms Bell will take up her appointment on 8 February 2017.

In making the announcement Sir Angus Houston said “Ms Bell brings substantial review and investigation experience to the role as well as an extensive background in administration, the law and legal policy.”

In 2001, she was appointed to the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and served 13 years as Senior Member. She has also held appointments on the Social Security Appeals Tribunal and the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal.

“Ms Bell has been a lawyer in private practice, community legal centres and the public sector including as Assistant Director of the Legislation and Policy Division of the NSW Attorney General’s Department and Corporate Counsel for the State Rail Authority”,

“Ms Bell is also a member of the Western Sydney Local Health District Board, the Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee and until recently was the Lawyer Member of the Medical Council of NSW. She has degrees in Arts and Law from Macquarie University,” Sir Angus said.

The Aircraft Noise Ombudsman was established in 2010 as an independent administrative office to oversee the handling of aircraft noise enquiries and complaints, to conduct independent reviews of noise complaint handling and to make recommendations for improvements where necessary.

Following agreement with the Department of Defence in 2015, the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman now also serves as an independent noise complaint and review mechanism for Australian Defence Force flight operations in Australia.

Mr Ron Brent, Australia’s first Aircraft Noise Ombudsman, finishes his second term after six years in the role.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his outstanding service to Airservices, Defence and the aviation community more broadly during his time as the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman,” Sir Angus said.