Our councillors

There are currently three councillors of the National Competition Council, with a variety of backgrounds and a wide range of skills and experience. The councillors are appointed by the Governor-General under section 29C of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, with the agreement of a majority of the states and territories party to the Competition Principles Agreement.

Katrina Groshinski - President

Ms Groshinski is a leading competition and regulatory lawyer and has been a partner at Minter Ellison since 2010. She was previously a partner and associate at Clayton Utz from 2003.

Ms Groshinski has a Bachelor and Master of Laws.

Ms Katrina Groshinki was appointed to the Council for a period of three years from 18 February 2021 and re-appointed for a further 18 months from 23 February 2024. 

On 3 March 2025 Ms Groshinski was appointed acting President by the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP under s29E of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and subsection 33A(1) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 until 17 August 2025.

The Hon Dr Craig Emerson 

Dr Craig Emerson is an eminent economist with 40 years’ experience in public policy, politics and public service. He is Managing Director of Emerson Economics Pty Ltd. He is Director of the APEC Study Centre at RMIT University, a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University, Adjunct Professor at Victoria University and a columnist with the Australian Financial Review.

Dr Emerson was Australia’s Minister for Trade and Competitiveness from 2010 to 2013. Prior to that he was Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation and Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs.

Dr Emerson was economic, trade and environmental adviser to Prime Minister Bob Hawke in the 1980s. He has also held the positions of Assistant Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Director-General of the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage and Policy Analyst at the United Nations in Bangkok.

Dr Emerson has a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University, and a Master of Economics degree and a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) degree from the University of Sydney.

Dr Emerson was appointed to the Council for a period of eighteen months in February 2024 until 17 August 2025.

Sally McMahon 

Sally McMahon has more than 25 years’ experience as an advisor and executive with economic regulators, governments, businesses, and investment funds in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, and Canada. 

Sally has held key roles in establishing access and pricing regimes, the evolution of jurisdictional energy markets and the establishment and ongoing development of the law and rules for the National Electricity and Gas Market. Sally specialises in economic regulation, its design and application and has experience in energy, water and transport. 

In addition to her role as Councillor, Sally is a Commissioner at the Australian Energy Market Commission and is the Independent Chair of the Market Advisory Committee, the Gas Advisory Board and the Pilbara Advisory Committee in Western Australia.

Sally holds an Honours degree in Economics from the Flinders University of South Australia and is a GAICD. Sally is also a member of the Economic Society of Australia and a former Chair of Women in Economics Network of WA.

Ms McMahon was appointed to the Council for a period of eighteen months in February 2024 until 17 August 2025.