SYDNEY, Oct 3, 2008 (AFP) - Six-time Olympic rower James Tomkins was Friday elected head of the Australian Athletes' Commission, the country's Olympic Committee said.

Three-time gold medallist Tomkins, 43, who carried the Australian flag at the Beijing Games opening ceremony, was announced chairman while eight summer Olympians were also formally inducted as new members of the commission.

'What I am looking forward to is actually making a difference and trying to do something that benefits all the other athletes,' Tomkins said.

Tomkins joins kayaker Clint Robinson, beach volleyballer Natalie Cook, swimmers Grant Hackett and Libby Trickett, diver Chantelle Newbery, water polo's Trent Franklin and field hockey player Angie Lambert as the new commission members voted in by their peers at the Beijing Games.

They join winter Olympians Jacqui Cooper (aerial skiing) and Steven Bradbury (short track) on the panel.

The commission meets four to five times a year and the chairman reports the outcome of those meetings on Olympic matters to the Australian Olympic Committee executive, the AOC said.

The AOC said it is one of a handful of national Olympic committees that have two athletes (Athletes? Commission chair and deputy chair) on their executive as full voting members.