The Water Cooler: Comings, goings, hearings and consultations

A breakdown of the latest appointments, public hearings and open consultations in the Australian Public Service and across the public services of the states and territories.

APS Senior Executive Service

Band 1

Liberty Davies, Katrina Gerholt, Renee Kennett, Patrick Geary, Jarrad Edge and Ben Gallie are the six new national managers at Services Australia.

The Australian Taxation Office has taken on Aaron Bennett as its new assistant commissioner for private equity strategy, engagement and assurance.

Band 2

Kim Forbes is now a first assistant secretary of the territories division at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.

Other federal

New commissioner at NDIS Quality and Safeguards

From 30 September, Louise Glanville will be the new Commissioner of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Ms Glanville has led policy development, service delivery, major reform and systematic change at federal, state and local levels for 25 years.

She was formerly the CEO of Victoria Legal Aid, chair of National Legal Aid, and deputy CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). In the latter role, she was part of the executive team that led to the rollout of the NDIS pilots across Australia and established the NDIA statutory agency itself.

Disability rights lawyer Natalie Wade was also engaged by Acting Commissioner Mike Phelan APM to assist with the next phase of reform at the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

Ms Wade is not only the chair of the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce, but also the founder and principal lawyer of Equality Lawyers – a firm that specialises in representing people with disabilities and their families.

Darren Dale joins Screen Australia

The Federal Government has appointed award-winning producer Darren Dale as a member of the Screen Australia Board for three years.

Screen Australia is the national peak funding body that supports the development, production, promotion and distribution of Australian screen content.

Mr Dale is an award-winning film and television producer and the managing director of First Nations-owned production company Blackfella Films.

He will be joining a nine-member board that includes Michael Ebeid AM (chair), Megan Brownlow (deputy chair), Dr Tania Chambers OAM, Marta Dusseldorp, Sacha Horler, Deborah Mailman AM, Nicholas Pickard and Pallavi Sharda.

Nominations for key financial bodies

The Federal Government will nominate the following people for appointments to the World Bank, IMF and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development:

• Rob Nicholl for a two-year appointment as the executive director of the World Bank Group
• Nghi Luu as the alternate executive director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for two years
• Natalie Horvat as alternate director for up to three years at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

In addition, the Commonwealth is extending Katherine Tuck’s current term at EBRD until 31 December.

Mr Nicholl is currently an executive director at the IMF. He has served as the chief executive officer of the Australian Office of Financial Management, and in several senior executive appointments within Tasmania’s Treasury and Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources.

Ms Luu is currently an Assistant Secretary in the Financial System Division of the Markets Group at Treasury. She has previously worked as a senior adviser in Australia’s IMF constituency office.

Ms Horvat is currently the First Assistant Secretary in the First Nations and Commonwealth‑State Division of the Fiscal Group at Treasury. Before her current role, she was the First Assistant Secretary in the Economic Division in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers thanked Kerstin Wijeyewardene for her work as alternate executive director at the World Bank, Ms Tuck for her work at EBRD and Mr Nicholl for his work as an IMF executive director.

New chair to lead National Disability Research Partnership

Clare Gibellini is the new chair of the National Disability Research Partnership (NDRP), a key initiative under Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031.

She has lived experience of autism, worked in the disability sector for 16 years and is co-chair of the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council.

The NDRP funds research that is led and informed by people with disability. This research will inform better policies and practices, which will help improve the lives of people with disability.

Expert panel to advise on green metals growth

The Federal Government has appointed a new expert advisory panel to advance green metals production in Australia.

It expects that by 2040, the greener metals industry could deliver up to $122 billion a year to Australia’s economy while reducing emissions by as much as 250 megatonnes.

The Industrial Decarbonisation and Green Metals Advisory Panel members are:

• Mark Cain, chief executive of the Australian Steel Institute
• Paul Farrow, national secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union
• Paul Howes, national managing partner, KPMG
• Marghanita Johnson, CEO of the Australian Aluminium Council
• Steve Murphy, national secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union
• Jenny Selway, CEO of the Heavy Industry Low-Carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre
• Rebecca Tomkinson, CEO of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy, Western Australia.

Together they will provide independent advice to Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic in supporting the preparation of policy options on green metals and industry decarbonisation.

Indigenous Land and Sea Corp appoints new division general managers

The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) has appointed Ray Lennox as general manager of the Western Division and Krystal Perkins as general manager of the Eastern Division.

A proud Samsep, Erub, Torres Strait Islander, Mr Lennox previously worked for the ILSC and held leadership positions within the public sector. These experiences have equipped him with a deep understanding of the issues impacting Indigenous communities.

Ms Perkins, a descendant of the Arunta and Nyamal peoples, joins the ILSC with a strong track record in Indigenous economic development and employment. Her previous role at the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) provided her with invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing First Nations communities.

Review of Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has announced Linda Dessau AC CVO and Professor Helen Rhoades OAM will conduct a review of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021.

They will assess:

• The impact of the structural reforms to the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia
• Any aspects of the act that have had unintended impacts on the operation or the effectiveness of the courts’ federal family law and general federal law jurisdiction, procedure or jurisprudence
• Whether the operation of the act can be improved through legislative amendments or other non-legislative changes, including structural changes.

Ms Dessau was the Governor of Victoria for eight years and a judge of the Family Court of Australia for 18 years. Professor Rhoades is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the Melbourne Law School and a former chair of the Family Law Council and Commissioner of the Australian Law Reform Commission on its review of the family law system.

The Attorney-General also announced the appointments of Alexandra Colquhoun, Gregory Shoebridge and Benjamin Zipser as judges to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2).

Ms Colquhoun and Mr Shoebridge have been appointed to the Sydney Registry, and Mr Zipser has been appointed to the Parramatta Registry. Their terms will begin on 16 September.

19 join the Administrative Review Tribunal, 15 join Administrative Appeals Tribunal

The Federal Government has made several appointments to the existing Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and the new Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).

Nineteen new members have been appointed to the AAT and will begin their terms on 30 September. They are:

• John Boultbee AM
• Dr Sevda Clark
• Bernadette Day
• Thomas Ellison
• Jonathan Hanton
• Sophie Jones
• Deborah Keenan
• Suzanne Leal
• Louise McBride
• Louise Prychidczuk
• Andrew Rozdilsky
• Emily Rutherford
• Imogen Selley
• Fiona Sneath
• Claire Stokes
• Sarah Thrift
• Dr Andrea Treble
• Shyla Vohra
• Magdalena Wysocka.

The 19 members will transition to the ART when it begins operations on 14 October for the remainder of their terms.

Fifteen new members have been appointed to the ART, comprising non-judicial deputy president Peter Britten-Jones, six senior members and eight general members.

The senior members are:

• Mark Harrowell
• Jane Lye
• Virginia Ryan
• Professor Peta Spender
• Robert Titterton OAM
• James Walsh.

The general members are:

• Christian Carney
• Felicity Eylward
• Helen Grutzner
• Dr Roderick McRae
• Dr Gerard Sammon
• Rebecca Smith
• Bruce Wells
• Danae Younger.

States and Territories

NSW to consult on Forestry Industry Action Plan

The NSW Government has announced the appointment of an expert panel to lead consultation on a Forestry Industry Action Plan, which will outline the path NSW will take to ensure a sustainable timber industry that aligns with the government’s key environmental priorities.

The Independent Forestry Panel will be chaired by Peter Duncan AM, who has more than 40 years’ experience in primary industries, infrastructure and regional NSW. Professor Mary O’Kane AC and Mick Veitch will also sit on the panel.

It will be tasked with consulting with a broad range of stakeholders and report to government on the best options to achieve the balance between sustainable supplies of timber and our environmental commitments.

Stakeholders include representatives from the timber industry, forest growers, environment groups, unions, Aboriginal communities, local government, business, related industries, tourism, scientific experts and the Federal Government.

NSW takes another step towards appointing an independent Agriculture Commissioner

The NSW Government will introduce legislation to Parliament in September to establish a statutory office of an independent Agriculture Commissioner to deliver a “coordinated and collaborative approach” across all tiers of government and the agriculture sector.

The establishment of an independent position was an election promise from Labor, and the commissioner will advise the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) concerning agricultural land use and the creation of a more sustainable and productive agriculture industry in the state.

It also follows strong advocacy from farmers in the wake of a challenging decade of floods, bushfires, drought, biosecurity incursions and the impacts of COVID-19 on global supply chains.

Four extra magistrate positions and six new faces in Queensland courts

Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath has announced the appointments of six highly experienced legal practitioners as magistrates, of which four positions are new. They are:

• Jakub Lodziak to Southport/Cairns
• Mark Schofield to Mt Isa
• Kellie Walker to Cairns
• Lisa O’Neill to Brisbane/Southport
• Anna Smith to Southport/Bowen
• Lewis Shillito to Brisbane.

Mr Lodziak has been Acting Public Defender for the past five months and was recently appointed as a member of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council.

Mr Schofield has been the assistant director of criminal law services with Legal Aid Queensland for the past eight years, but has also been an acting magistrate for the past four months.

Ms Walker works as a principal lawyer at Legal Aid Queensland, was named Queensland Regional Practitioner of the Year in 2020 and is vice-president of the North Queensland Law Association.

Ms O’Neill began her career in private law firms, hearing and resolving prisoner complaints with the former Department of Corrections, conducting procedural and final hearings in teacher disciplinary matters, and working as a sessional member with the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. More recently, she developed an innovative specialist response to family violence with the Federal Family Court.

Ms Smith was made an acting magistrate almost 10 months ago, but has worked as a senior legal officer for the Crime and Misconduct Commission, a Crown Prosecutor with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and was director/principal lawyer at a criminal defence firm for 11 years.

Mr Shillito has been the director of criminal law with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service for the past seven years while also serving as a member of the Queensland Children’s Court Committee.

Refresh for WA Conservation and Parks Commission

WA’s Conservation and Parks Commission has welcomed four new members, including a new chair and deputy chair. It is charged with conserving WA’s biological diversity and ensuring its conservation estate is managed sustainably.

Jo Lanagan and Mark Webb have been appointed chair and deputy chair, respectively, while Professor Matthew Tonts and Rod Clark are new members.

Ms Lanagan, whose 30 years of experience in Aboriginal affairs included working with the State and Commonwealth governments to progress native title issues, has been appointed chair after serving as the commission’s deputy chair since 2019. She replaces Professor Chris Doepel, who held the position for the past five years and retired as the commission’s chair in May.

Continuing member Mr Webb, who has more than three decades of experience as a director, CEO and director-general in WA’s public service, has been appointed as the commission’s deputy chair.

New members for WA Development Assessment Panel

The WA Government has delivered further reforms to its Development Assessment Panel (DAP) system with the appointment of the first fixed-term, full-time members.

This latest reform introduces a new tenure of appointment for full-time members, requiring DAP membership to be their sole employment, minimising conflicts of interest and enhancing consistency in decision-making across the panels.

The five members will be joined by 12 other sessional members representing various professional expertise to ensure a quorum is always available for DAP meetings. Those members are:

• Dale Page
• Eugene Koltasz
• Francesca Lefante
• Clayton Higham
• Karen Hyde.

Family law barrister appointed Acting Magistrate of Family Court of WA

Attorney-General John Quigley has announced the appointment of Max Beckerling as an Acting Magistrate of the Family Court of Western Australia.

For the past 11 years, Mr Beckerling has served as a barrister at the Independent Bar. He specialises in family law, which has seen him practise in child support, care and protection and family provision matters, and restraining orders.

He began his role on 2 September for a one-year appointment. Concurrently, a recruitment process for a permanent magistrate will be undertaken during this time.

Expert panel to oversee youth justice transition in Tasmania

An expert panel has been appointed to provide independent advice on the transition to a therapeutic model for youth justice in Tasmania.

Collectively, the panel covers independent expertise in fields relating to youth justice services, child and adolescent development, health, child rights, Aboriginal children and young people, education, trauma and abuse, and youth justice facility design.

Panel members are:

• Robert Benjamin AM SC (chair), Commissioner, Lawyer and former Judge of Family Court of Australia
• Professor Brett McDermott, Statewide Specialty Director – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Tasmania Department of Health
• Dr Catherine Robinson, Associate Professor in Communities and Social Justice, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania (UTAS)
• Dr Iain Matheson, director of Research Centre for Better Outcomes from Fostering and Residential Care (Better Outcomes)
• Kristen Wylie, director of Tasmania Legal Aid
• Professor Rob White, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Criminology in UTAS
• Rodney Dillon, Indigenous rights adviser for Amnesty International Australia (representative for Aboriginal children and young people)
• Dr Sanne Oostermeijer, Senior Research Fellow in Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at The University of Melbourne
• Dr Stephanie Liddicoat, Senior Social Innovator at The Australian Centre for Social Innovation
• Sam Ledger, representative with operational detention centre experience
• Ex-officio members, who are DPAC and DECYP representatives.

Open for consultation

Australia Disability Strategy 2021-2031

The Federal Government is reviewing Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031, which is the country’s national disability framework. It calls on all Australians to ensure people with disability can participate as equal members of society. Feedback from the community is welcome until 6 September through a guided questionnaire on review of a discussion paper by the Department of Social Services (DSS).

Truth and Justice Commission Bill

The Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs is seeking submissions to its parliamentary inquiry into the Truth and Justice Commission Bill 2024, introduced by Yamatji-Noongar Senator Dorinda Cox.

The bill proposes to establish a Federal Truth and Justice Commission, which would provide a national framework for truth-telling about the history and impacts of colonisation, dispossession and systemic racism on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The commission would also make recommendations on how to advance justice, healing, raise awareness and increase public understanding, and reconciliation for First Nations communities and the wider Australian society.

Submissions are welcome until 6 September.

Draft Sustainable Ocean Plan

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is developing a Sustainable Ocean Plan for Australia. Its goal is to support the government as it meets the increasingly complex challenges facing the ocean, and the economy that relies on it, from now into the future. Consultation closes on 13 September.

NACC surveys public sector on corruption issues

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is calling on Commonwealth public sector staff to participate in Australia’s first Commonwealth Integrity Survey, which is open until 20 September.

The online survey asks Commonwealth public sector employees about 30 questions that focus on their knowledge, experiences and perceptions of integrity and corruption issues in their agencies.

The survey fills a gap in the Commonwealth public sector integrity landscape. Data exists on experiences of fraud and corruption by agencies, but the Commonwealth Integrity Survey focuses on the experiences and perceptions of staff members. This combined data will provide a more accurate picture of unreported corruption as well as integrity risks.

Template CLG constitution for ACNC

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) is reviewing its template constitution for public companies limited by guarantee, or CLGs. It aims to provide charities that are CLGs with a document that they can adapt for their own use when developing or modifying their constitution. Responses to the short survey will remain open until 23 September.

Maugean skate listing assessment

The Threatened Species Scientific Committee is seeking comments on the assessment of Zearaja maugeana (Maugean skate). Public consultation will be open until 26 September.

Space Heating Comparison Methodology

DCCEEW is consulting on a proposed technical methodology for comparing the energy performance of residential space heaters (called “the comparison methodology”).

The comparison methodology is a technical foundation from which the energy performance of different space heaters can be compared. It identifies how to define and calculate the energy performance of different heater types on a consistent and fair basis. Feedback is welcome until 27 September.

National Safety and Quality Medical Imaging Standards

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care is undertaking a consultation on the National Safety and Quality Medical Imaging (NSQMI) Standards. These standards will replace the Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme Standards. Stage 1 of consultation is open until 27 September, with Stage 2 starting in October.

Ahpra drafts guidance on developing professional capabilities

The independently chaired Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Accreditation Committee (the committee) invites you to give feedback on its draft guidance on developing professional capabilities. Professional capabilities are the knowledge, skills and professional attributes required for registration as a health practitioner in Australia. They describe the minimum requirements for safe and competent practice.

The committee has drafted this guidance to foster good practice in the development of professional capabilities across the 16 professions regulated by the national scheme. Public consultation on these draft principles is open until 18 October.

Gorgon gas development: Backfill fields offshore project proposal

Chevron Australia Pty Ltd is the operator of the Gorgon gas development, one of Australia’s largest natural gas projects, located off the northwest coast of Western Australia. A backfill field is a supply of natural gas that is required to maintain the throughput to an operating facility.

The intent of this backfill development is to maintain gas supply to the existing gas plants on Barrow Island to sustain current production rates of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and domestic gas. Public comment on the proposal is open until 1 November.

For information on all the state and territory government projects open for consultation, follow the links below:

• New South Wales
• Queensland
• Victoria
• South Australia
• Western Australia
• Tasmania
• Northern Territory
• Australian Capital Territory

Federal Parliament Public Hearings

Wednesday (4 September):

Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society

Time: 3 – 5 pm; Chamber: Joint; Location: Committee Room 2S3, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Thursday (5 September):

Inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles – Standing Committee on Climate, Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Time: 9 am – 1 pm; Chamber: House; Location: Committee Room 1, Queensland Parliament, Brisbane, QLD.

Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction – Joint Standing Committee on Treaties

Time: 2:40 – 3:05 pm; Chamber: Joint: Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Monday (9 September):

Convention on the International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation – Joint Standing Committee on Treaties

Time: 11:15 am – 1 pm; Chamber: Joint; Location: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.