In a move which will surprise many, Dr Terry Cutler has tendered his resignation from the chairship of the Australia Council, in order to focus his attention on emerging opportunities in the information technology field.

Cutler, formerly Chair of the council's New Media Board and appointed council chair in July 2001, is also a council member of the Victorian College of the Arts and Managing Director of his own company, Cutler and Co. He is a previous director of Opera Australia and Cinemedia, as well as a previous chair of the Information Policy Advisory Council and the Australian Government Industry Research and Development Board.

‘[Being Chair of the Australia Council] is a complex and time-consuming role that is of central importance to the arts in Australia,’ he said in a short news release, ‘Competing claims on my time unfortunately mean that I can no longer give the attention to the job that I believe the sector deserves.’

‘Dr Cutler has made a significant contribution since his appointment, bringing a new perspective to the work of the council, especially in exploring the impact of the digital revolution on the arts,’ commented Senator Richard Alston, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, on publicly announcing the resignation.

Cutler affirmed that he will continue to take a keen interest in all areas of the arts, and wishes the council well in its future endeavours.