The latest senior public sector appointments.
Senior Executive Service
Band 1
At the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), Janet Lui, Abigail Kuttner, Stacey Lange and Zane Zhao were appointed to assistant secretary roles.
Adrian Bernoider was promoted to national manager, financial accounting at Services Australia.
At the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, Paul Clark was promoted to executive manager.
Matthew Johnson was promoted to chief economist at Austrade.
At Finance, Suzanne Hinchcliffe was promoted to a Band 1 role.
At DFAT, 11 people were appointed to an assistant secretary position:
- Katy Lin
- Catherine Gill
- Julie Shams
- Caroline Linke
- Lara Nassau
- Kyle Naish
- Kylie Coghill
- Victoria Lamb
- Simon Clayton
- Lara Ban
- Glenn Elson
At Defence, Mathew Tildesley was promoted to assistant secretary, NSS functional services.
Samantha MacCready was appointed to general manager, corporate branch chief finance officer at the Climate Change Authority.
Home Affairs secretary
Mike Pezzullo, secretary of Home Affairs, stood aside this week after media reports he was allegedly using back channels to influence government through a Liberal party powerbroker.
Former APS commissioner Lynelle Briggs is leading an independent inquiry into the situation.
Stephanie Foster is acting secretary of the department.
IPAA ACT CEO
Caroline Walsh is leaving her position as IPAA ACT CEO to take up the role of CEO at OzHelp, starting on November 6.
Walsh had been at IPAA ACT since 2020. Prior to that, she worked at the Australian Public Service Commission.
On her new role, Walsh said was passionate about working toward an Australia without suicide.
“Our customers and stakeholders are at the heart of everything we do, and with the OzHelp team, I will work to prioritise their needs, exceed their expectations, and ensure that OzHelp remains a trusted and valued partner,” Walsh said.
ANU vice chancellor
Former public servant professor Genevieve Bell was named the next vice chancellor of ANU, taking over from outgoing Brian Schmidt.
Bell will commence on 1 January 2024, becoming the first woman to take up the role.
ANU chancellor Julie Bishop said Bell was “a compelling and passionate leader, with a deep understanding of the University’s distinctive mission, remarkable legacy, vibrant culture and tremendous assets”.
She is currently the ANU’s School of Cybernetics director. From 2008 to 2010, she was the South Australian government’s “thinker in residence”.
Earlier this year, Bell was one of the co-authors of a commonwealth report on generative AI. The report cautioned the rapid evolution of the technology made it “almost impossible” to forecast.
Intelligence review leads
Former Industry secretary Dr Heather Smith and former Office of National Assessment director-general Richard Maude will co-lead a review into Australia’s intelligence agencies.
The findings of the review are due to government by mid-2024.
Smith has nearly 20 years of experience in senior public service roles and is currently a professor at the ANU Security College.
Maude was previously on the external advisory panel for the Defence Strategic Review implementation, currently executive director of policy at Asia Society Australia.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese said the review would “make sure that our intelligence agencies are best positioned to serve the Australian national interest, respond to future capability and workforce challenges, and continue to protect our security, prosperity and values”.
AusPost CIO
Munro Farmer finished up at Australia Post as its chief information officer.
Having been at the organisation for nine years, Farmer said in a LinkedIn post he was going to take a short break before “exploring exciting new opportunities”.
Victoria Multicultural commissioners
Three commissioners joined the Victorian Multicultural Commission, with one reappointed:
- Sylvia Coombe as commissioner
- Gabrielle Marchetti as community representative commissioner
- Krushnadevsinh Ravalji as youth commissioner
- Dr Judy Tang reappointed as commissioner
Coombe is the commission’s first member of Pacifika heritage.
Outgoing members of the commission were Shankar Kasynathan, Abiola Akinbiyi and Lunarphare (Luna) Folly.
Greyhound Racing NSW board
Barrister Adam Casselden is the new chair of Greyhound Racing NSW.
Other new members included Paul Gentle and Louise Wakefield as independent directors.
Gregory Johnson joined the board as an industry participant director.
Rebekah Giles was reappointed to deputy chair and an independent director.
The one-year term appointments started on September 23.
ACT child and family reform ministerial advisory council
Public advocate and children and young people commissioner Jodie Griffiths-Cook and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people advocate Barbara Causon are the ex officio members of the ACT’s child and family reform ministerial advisory council.
ELM managing director Amanda Tobler was appointed chair, with former corrections official visitor Shannon Pickles appointed deputy chair.
The remaining council members are:
- Dr Justin Barker
- Mayme Clarke
- Dea Delaney-Thiele
- Dr Vik Fraser
- Tracey Hall
- Taylor Licciardello
- Professor Morag McArthur
- Dr Robyn Miller
- Zakia Patel
- Jennifer Rowsell
- Dr Joe Tucci
- Selina Walker
- Valerie Wandin-Gillies
- LewChing Yip
