The Water Cooler: Comings and goings in the APS

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

APS Senior Executive Service

Band 1

Matthew Haigh is the next assistant commissioner for electoral integrity and media at the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) now has Gemma Edgar as an assistant secretary.

Band 2

Stephen Sorbello is the next first assistant secretary at the Department of Finance.

Band 3

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has promoted Phillip Gould to deputy Australian statistician for the data and statistical practices group.

Other federal

Griggs to step down from Department of Social Services

Department of Social Services Secretary Ray Griggs is stepping down from his role and will retire by the end of the year.

He leaves after having embraced the task of cleaning the department following the tragedy of the Robodebt debacle and the fallout of the royal commission into the scheme.

In a wide-spanning career, Mr Griggs has been highly respected across the public service and political spectrums, and previously served as the Chief of Navy and Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force.

APSC launches three new professional streams

The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) has launched three new APS professional streams. The programs are APS procurement and contract management, evaluation and complex project management practices.

Australian Public Service Commissioner Dr Gordon de Brouwer has appointed six profession co-heads:

• Procurement and Contract Management
  • Richard Windeyer (Department of Finance), Deputy Secretary Commercial Group
  • Julia Pickworth (Department of Industry, Science and Resources), Deputy Secretary Industry and Commercialisation Group.
• Evaluation
  • Dr Shane Johnson (Treasury), First Assistant Secretary Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy Division
  • Pia Andrews (Department of Home Affairs), Chief Data Officer, Data and Economic Analysis Centre.
• Complex Project Management
  • Chris Deeble (Department of Defence), Deputy Secretary Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group
  • Dr Liz Develin (Department of Health and Aged Care), Deputy Secretary Primary and Community Care.

Government names commissioners to lead Infrastructure Australia

The Federal Government has appointed Tim Reardon, Clare Gardiner-Barnes and Dr Gillian Miles as the Commissioners of Infrastructure Australia for five-year terms.

Infrastructure Australia provides expert, independent advice to the Federal Government about priority infrastructure investments.

Mr Reardon was previously the Secretary of Transport for NSW as well as Secretary for NSW Premier and Cabinet. He will begin in the role of Chief Commissioner on 1 October, with Ms Gardiner-Barnes in the role until then.

She was a previous board member of Infrastructure Australia, undertook the review of the Infrastructure Investment Program, and has held roles at Infrastructure NSW and Transport for NSW. Ms Gardiner-Barnes’ term began on 15 July.

Dr Miles, who held roles as the CEO and Commissioner for the National Transport Commission and Head of Transport for Victoria, will begin on 8 October.

The Federal Government will separately establish a new advisory council to assist the commissioners.

Large swathe of appointments by Attorney-General

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has made several appointments in the past week, most notably four inaugural Jurisdictional Area Leaders for the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).

The Jurisdictional Area Leaders will be responsible for managing members and caseloads alongside decision-making functions. Mr Dreyfus said they would have important roles in ensuring tribunal operations were tailored to user needs, and identifying trends and emerging issues.

Deputy President Simone Burford as Jurisdictional Area Leader for Protection.

Ms Burford was first appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in 2017 and was promoted to Deputy President in July 2024.

Deputy President Kruna Dordevic as Jurisdictional Area Leader for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and for Social Security.

Ms Dordevic was appointed to the former Social Security Appeals Tribunal in 2006, becoming a member of the AAT from amalgamation in 2015, and was promoted to Deputy President in July 2024.

Deputy President Gina Lazanas as Jurisdictional Area Leader for Taxation and Business, the Veterans and Workers’ Compensation, and the General Jurisdictional Area.

Ms Lazanas has been a partner in several law firms, with a particular specialisation in tax and commercial cases. She was first appointed to the AAT in 2012 and was promoted to Deputy President in July 2024.

Deputy President Kathryn Millar as Jurisdictional Area Leader for Migration.

Ms Millar has served on several tribunals and panels, including the former Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Tribunal, the former Social Security Appeals Tribunal, and the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. She has been a member of the AAT since 2015 and was promoted to Deputy President in June 2024.

The Attorney-General consulted with Justice Emilios Kyrou AO on these appointments, who he intends to assign as the Jurisdictional Area Leader for Intelligence and Security.

Thirteen members have been appointed to the AAT, including 11 reappointments. These members who will transition to the ART when it begins on 14 October for the remainder of their terms are:

• Dr Adam Booker
• Neil Foster
• Jocelyn Green
• Michael Griffin AM
• Associate Professor Michael Horsburgh AM
• Peter Jensen
• Dr Michael Jones
• Elisa Kidston
• Dr Robert King
• Donna Lambden
• Dr Stephen Lewinsky
• Andrew Maryniak KC
• Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ormston (Rtd)

Twenty new general members have been appointed to the ART, with their terms beginning on or after its commencement. They are:

• Sheridan Aster
• Dr Nicolas Augoustinos
• Diana Benk
• Dr Max Bruce
• Rosalind Burke
• Mark Darian-Smith
• Kelvin Defranciscis
• Sandeep Dhillon
• Paul Favell
• Patrick Gardner
• Carolyn McAnally
• John McAteer
• Jillian Moir
• Myra Poon
• Felicity Rogers
• Justine Ross
• Warren Strange
• Tracey Summerfield
• Fraser Syme
• Emerita Professor Margaret Walter

New members join Competition Tribunal

The Federal Government has appointed Professor David Byrne, Associate Professor Katharine Kemp and Professor Flavio Menezes as part‑time members of the Australian Competition Tribunal for a five‑year period.

The tribunal is an independent statutory body with jurisdiction under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to hear a variety of applications, most notably reviews of determinations of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Treasurer.

Professor Byrne is a Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne. He undertakes empirical research in industrial organisation and behavioural economics, focusing on energy and resource markets.

Associate Professor Kemp is with the Faculty of Law and Justice at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney and leads the UNSW Public Interest Law and Tech Initiative. Her research focuses on competition, data privacy and consumer protection regulation.

Professor Menezes is a Professor of Economics at the University of Queensland (UQ) and chair of the Queensland Competition Authority. He was previously the president of the Economic Society of Australia (Queensland), a member of the Advisory Board of the Australian Government’s Deregulation Taskforce, head of the School of Economics at UQ and director of the Australian Centre of Regulatory Economics at the Australian National University.

States and Territories

IPAA ACT elects new council

The ACT branch of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) has elected its new council following its November AGM. The members are:

• Kelly Pearce, retired, former senior executive, Australian Government Department of Education
• Lisa Carmody, Deputy Director General, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, ACT Government
• David Mackay, Deputy Secretary for Regions, Cities, and Territories, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
• Tess Bishop GAICD, chief operating officer and Deputy Secretary Strategy, Enterprise and Engagement Group, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Chris Fechner, chief executive officer, Digital Transformation Agency
• Jason Duarte, Head of Public Sector, Westpac
• Leanne Blackley, chief operating officer, Comcare
• Diane Brown, Deputy Secretary, Revenue Group, Commonwealth Treasury
• Anna Faithfull, Deputy Secretary, Skills and Training Group, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
• Sophie Sharpe, Deputy Secretary, Department of Home Affairs
• Maree Bridger, Deputy Secretary, chief operating officer, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
• Jasna Blackwell, chief people officer, chief risk officer, First Assistant Secretary, People, Parliamentary and Communications Division, Australian Government Department of Education
• Chris Birrer, deputy chief executive officer, Payments & Integrity Group, Services Australia
• Jarrod Howard, Deputy chief executive officer, Customer Service Delivery, Services Australia
• Deborah Blackman, Associate Dean, Professor in Public Sector Management Strategy Public Service Research Group, UNSW Canberra
• Michael Peel, director, banks, Government and Education, Commonwealth Bank
• Sam Chard PSM GAICD, head of division Business Grants Hub, Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

NCAT deputy president and division head appointed

Barrister and tribunal member Gregory Sarginson has been appointed as the new deputy president of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) and head of its Consumer and Commercial Division.

Before his current role as acting principal member at NCAT, he was a member of the Federal Court Panel for advising applicants in appeals from the former Refugee Review Tribunal.

Mr Sarginson was also a part-time member of the former Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal, and a part-time sessional member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Michael Antrum appointed Deputy Chief Magistrate of NSW Local Court

Magistrate Michael Antrum has been appointed a Deputy Chief Magistrate of the Local Court.

He joined the Local Court in 2011 and has presided over a variety of matters at courts throughout NSW, including Wagga, Queanbeyan, Gosford and the Downing Centre in Sydney.

Since 2022, he has been a Deputy President of the Forensic Division of the Mental Health Review Tribunal, and has served on the boards of not-for-profits including Anglicare.

Magistrate Antrum will begin as a Deputy Chief Magistrate on 28 October.

Victorian Gender Equality Commissioner reappointed

Victoria’s inaugural Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner Dr Niki Vincent has been reappointed.

The role of the Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner was established in 2020 and promotes gender equality across the public sector and the broader community.

Dr Vincent has overseen the implementation of Victoria’s Gender Equality Act 2020, which includes obligations for public sector organisations to make lasting and genuine progress towards gender equality.

This includes the introduction of biannual workplace gender equality audits and a reporting platform for more than 300 Victorian public sector organisations, including government departments, local councils, hospitals and universities.

Organisations’ data on workplace audits and plans to address the gender pay gap, workplace sexual harassment and gender inequality in leadership are made publicly available, and they must report on their progress every two years.

New court and OPP appointments in Victoria

Kerri Judd KC has been appointed to the Supreme Court of Victoria, with Brendan Kissane KC appointed as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Diana Piekusis KC appointed as Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP).

Ms Judd’s appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court follows the retirement of Elizabeth Hollingworth after more than 20 years on the bench. Before being Victoria’s first female DPP, Ms Judd briefly served as Acting CCP and Senior Crown Prosecutor.

Mr Kissane was appointed the CCP in 2018 and has acted as the DPP during this time. Before his appointment as CCP, he was a Senior Crown Prosecutor from 2015 and Crown Prosecutor since 2007.

Mr Kissane was the first Crown Prosecutor assigned to Geelong, where he oversaw the first two years of operations of the local OPP from 2009 to 2011.

Ms Piekusis was appointed Senior Crown Prosecutor in 2019 and worked as a Crown Prosecutor since 2009. During this time, she has acted as the DPP and the CCP.

Forensic Science Queensland director appointed

Forensic scientist Dr Linzi Wilson-Wilde OAM has been appointed director of Forensic Science Queensland (FSQ).

She has acted as interim CEO of FSQ since January 2023, but her appointment follows the establishment last month of an 11-member advisory council, chaired by Julie Dick SC.

Dr Wilson-Wilde is a former director of both Forensic Science South Australia and the National Institute of Forensic Science and has previously worked for Victoria Police, New South Wales Police and the Australian Federal Police.

FSQ was administratively assigned to the Department of Justice and Attorney-General on 1 July, 2024.

Peter Bernard O’Neill joins Queensland Industrial Relations Commission

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace has announced the appointment of Peter Bernard O’Neill as a new Industrial Commissioner for the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC).

Mr O’Neill has been a practising barrister since 1994 and has appeared in state courts at all levels, including at the commission and the Industrial Court.

WA Minister David Templeman won’t seek re-election

Western Australian Member of the Legislative Assembly for Mandurah, David Templeman, will not seek re-election at the 2025 state poll.

Before entering Parliament in 2001, he was a schoolteacher and entertainer. He served in Cabinet under premier Alan Carpenter from 2006 to 2008, and under premiers Mark McGowan and Roger Cook from 2017 onwards.

Mr Templeman is the state’s first International Education Minister and has led the WA Labor Government’s Parliamentary agenda as Leader of the House since 2017.

WorkCover WA CEO reappointed

The WA Government has reappointed Chris White as CEO of WorkCover WA for five years.

Mr White has held the position since 2017 and has led the implementation of the Workers Compensation and Injury Management Act 2023, which modernises WA’s workers’ compensation laws.

New CEO for ChemCentre WA

The WA Government has announced the appointment of Paul Nicholls as the new CEO of ChemCentre.

ChemCentre is the government’s chemical and forensic science service provider, based in Bentley.

Science Minister Stephen Dawson welcomed the appointment of the new CEO for a five-year term and commended outgoing CEO Peter McCafferty, who is retiring after 32 years of service to ChemCentre.

Mr Nicholls is currently at Curtin University’s Centre for Crop and Disease Management and has previously held executive director and director roles at the University of Queensland, Curtin University, the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre and Scitech.

Local experts appointed to WA’s new Innovation Advisory Board

A mix of innovation entrepreneurs, academics, investors, consultants and business owners has been appointed by the WA Government as the founding members of Western Australia’s inaugural Innovation Advisory Board.

Each board member will serve a two-year term, with the first meeting set to take place in October.

A key role of the board is to provide strategic advice to the Minister for Innovation and the Digital Economy on the implementation of the government’s decade-long Innovation Strategy and the effectiveness of its programs and initiatives.

The members are:

• Oliver Bazzani, director, Perth Biodesign
• Eliza Carbines, founder, Tender Relief
• Sandy Chong, principal, Verity Consulting
• Danelle Cross, director Entrepreneurship and WTF, Curtin
• Charlie Gunningham, former government executive, and consultant
• Jemma Iles, chief futures and people officer, Peritas Consulting
• Kent Matla, state manager, First Australians Capital
• Clare Mould, special counsel, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
• Faz Pollard, director, Adarsh Australia
• Anna Shave, managing director, Resource Capital Funds
• Mette Wendler, director Strategy and Finance, Landgate.

New advisory body gives victim-survivors a voice in Tasmania

A new advisory council will provide victim-survivors of family and sexual violence with a direct platform to contribute to Tasmanian Government policy.

The Victim-Survivor Advisory Council will include between eight and 12 members who live in Tasmania and have lived experience of family and/or sexual violence. This includes adults who have experienced family and/or sexual violence as a child.

Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family Violence Madeleine Ogilvie said the council members would undergo induction and training this month.

Survivors at the Centre and the Advisory Council will meet three times a year to provide insights that directly influence policy and programs aimed at preventing and responding to violence. Members will be paid for their time and expertise, recognising the significant role their lived experience plays in shaping effective solutions.

EPA Tasmania director to retire

Wes Ford, the director and deputy secretary of Tasmania’s Environment Protection Authority since May 2015, will retire in March 2025.

He has worked in government for more than 30 years, starting his career in fisheries research before moving into management and regulation of aquaculture, fisheries and water resources.