Director of literature appointed

Josie Emery has been appointed as the Australia Council's director of literature.

Ms Emery is a novelist, story writer and screenwriter.

For the past three years, she has been co-head of Screenwriting at the Australian Film Television and Radio School, and one of the leaders of recent changes in that organisation.

Ms Emery has worked with film directors such as Philip Noyce and Scott Hicks, and has an AWGIE Award for Best Television Adaptation. Her novel, The Sky People, was short-listed for the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature in 1986.

She has chaired Writers' Week at the Adelaide Festival and the South Australian Writers' Centre, and is a former member of the Council's literature board. 

As a management consultant, Ms Emery has helped build national teams for major retailers, and worked on board and senior management issues for leading corporations.