In April 2015, following Thomson's death in February, Piers Lane (a former competitor and juror) was announced as the artistic director of the 2016 competition.
The pianist and composer Larry Sitsky said: "The title Sydney International Piano Competition sounds grand and definitive.
[26] The Liszt specialist and composer Leslie Howard said: "I was asked to be on the international advisory panel for this years ago ... and since then have never heard from any of them.
They all seem to have had rather too close connections with members of the jury, which in any case is composed mostly of lacklustre teachers ... who have never been professional concert pianists in their lives and wouldn't recognise good and original artistry if it jumped up and bit them".
[26] Michael Kieran Harvey has asked: "What does the complete lack of success past SIPCA winners have had at making a career say about the cloth-eared selectors who travel around the world at great expense auditioning young hopefuls?
Why, if SIPCA is such an internationally significant competition, are second-rate teachers no-one's ever heard of, to say nothing of completely unqualified non-musicians, sitting in judgment at this supposedly premier music event?
"[23] Despite his criticism, Harvey agreed to become the commentator for the ABC's radio broadcast of the 2000 competition, "in an attempt to provide some objective analysis".
[23] Critics also pointed to the dominance of Warren Thomson, who single-handedly chose the repertoire and all the jurors, many of whom are associated with the Australian Institute of Music (AIM), of which he was artistic director, Professional Development Programs.
[23] Margaret Hair, AIM's former head of keyboard studies, said: "There's a feeling among teachers that with Warren [Thomson] in charge, Australian students have little chance of making the final cut.
The competition came under fire in 1992 when Ukrainian pianist Vitaly Samoshko was denied 6th place due to his disqualification for playing the incorrect Mozart Concerto.
There was an error in the Kochel number in the application and whilst he was allowed to perform the concerto he had prepared, as well as Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op 43 he was nonetheless disqualified and 6th prize was not awarded based on legal advice at the time.
The jury, not for the first time failed to award French pianist Oliver Cazal 1st prize even though he was the People's Choice winner and was by far and away the stand out performer.