Commissioner Fitzgerald was on leave from the Productivity Commission, where he has been serving as a full-time Commissioner since January 2004. Prior to his appointment to the Productivity Commission, Commissioner Fitzgerald was the Community and Disability Services Commissioner and Deputy Ombudsman in New South Wales.
Commissioner Fitzgerald has a diverse background and extensive experience in commerce, law, public policy and community services, including extensive involvement in numerous not-for-profit agencies.
Commissioner Fitzgerald practiced as a commercial lawyer in NSW for more than 20 years, including with the firm Clayton Utz, and established his own law practice specialising in franchising, licensing and trade practices. During that time he was also engaged as a senior management consultant at Horwath Accountants and Management Consultants (now Deloitte), as well as holding senior executive positions with a number of private trading companies.
His involvement in public policy has been extensive and includes serving as a member of the National Competition Council for five years from 1999 to 2003. Commissioner Fitzgerald was Chair of the Commonwealth Taskforce on Franchising Regulation, Chair of the Franchising Code Administration Council, member of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Social Security and member of the Commonwealth Inquiry into the Definition of Charities and Related Organisations.
Commissioner Fitzgerald has previously been a Commissioner on several inquiries and studies.
The Australian Government appointed Commissioner Fitzgerald to Chair the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission Advisory Board for three years in 2012. For more than 30 years he has also been involved in a voluntary capacity in numerous community services.
In addition, Commissioner Fitzgerald previously served on a number of university advisory boards, including the Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies Advisory Board, the Australian Catholic University Community Engagement Advisory Committee and the University of Sydney Law School Advisory Board.
Commissioner Fitzgerald holds degrees in commerce and law from the University of NSW. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1994, is a recipient of the Centenary medal, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Australian Catholic University in 2001. He also received an honorary appointment as Adjunct Professor at that University.