Public Service members from the Commonwealth, States and Territories have been recognised in the Australia Day Honours List this year, honoured with well-earned rewards for their selflessness and commitment to duty and service for the benefit of the Australian community.
His Majesty, King Charles’ awards for members of the Australian Public Service were decided in accordance with the Order of Australia and announced on His Majesty’s behalf by His Excellency the Governor-General of Australia, General David Hurley.
Congratulating the recipients of all the honours, General Hurley described the significant of the recipients as “quite simply, inspiring”.
“They go above and beyond, are from all over the country, and contribute every day in every way imaginable,” the Governor-General said.
“These are the people who see us through good times and bad. They’re the first to show up and the last to leave,” he said
“It’s important they know how much they are valued.”
Members of the Australian Public Service honoured this year are:
OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AO)
James Leslie ALLSOP AO
Federal Court of Australia
For eminent service to the judiciary and to the law, to organisational and technological reform, to legal education, and to insolvency law.
Justice Leslie has served as Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia since 2013.
Glenys BEAUCHAMP PSM AO
Department of Health
For distinguished service to public administration, particularly innovative health reform, industry and science policy, and program delivery.
Ms Beauchamp served as Secretary of the Department of Health from 2017 to 2020. She received the Public Service Medal in 2021 for outstanding public service in coordinating the Australian Government’s response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires.
Mr Gregory James HOOD AO
Australian Transport Safety Bureau
For distinguished service to the national transportation and aviation industries, and to the not-for-profit sector.
Mr James served as Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau from 2016 to 2021.
MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM)
John Francis ANGUS AM
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
For significant service to the agricultural sector through research roles, and to education.
Dr Angus served as Honorary Research Fellow, Agriculture and Food at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 2010 to 2021.
Harold James ALLIE BEM AM
Royal Australian Air Force
For significant service to veterans, to Indigenous organisations, and to the community.
Mr Allie Bem served as the Inaugural Aboriginal Elder at the Royal Australian Air Force from 2012 to 2022, and was a serving member of the Air Force from 1966 to 1996.
Lucinda Jane BARRY AM
Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority
For significant service to public health policy in executive roles, and to medicine.
Ms Barry has served as Chief Executive of the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority since 2017.
Juliet Helena BROWN OAM, AM
Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation
For significant service to the insurance and superannuation industries.
Ms Brown has served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation since 2021. She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2015.
Jennifer Elizabeth COLLINS AM
Department of Veteran’s Affairs
For significant service to veterans and their families, and to nursing.
Ms Collins served as Deputy Commissioner, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory, Senior Executive Service at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs from 2004 to 2017.
Stephen John DUCKETT AM
Department of Human Services and Health
For significant service to public health policy and management, and to tertiary education.
Emeritus Professor Duckett served as Secretary, Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health from 1994 to 1996.
Dr Norman Gabriel SWAN AM
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) – Radio National
For significant service to the broadcast media as a science and health commentator.
Dr Swan has served as a Broadcaster and Journalist, Science and Health, at the ABC’s Radio National since 1982.
Philip Stretton WILLIAMS AM
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
For significant service to the broadcast media as a presenter and journalist.
Mr Williams served as Chief Foreign Correspondent at the ABC from 2016 to 2021 and as a Part-time Foreign Correspondent since 2022.
PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL (PSM)
Lisiane BARAO MACLEOD PSM
Services Australia
For outstanding public service through contribution as a technologist, collaborator and leader in Services Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Barao Macleod, in her role as General Manager, Data Online Systems Division, provided remarkable coordination that supported the delivery of a high profile and time critical initiative, including the staged integration of vaccination certificates to State managed check-in applications.
She identified and harnessed the necessary technologies, ensured adherence to high standards of privacy and security and supported each jurisdiction through the process.
Ms Barao Macleod’s ability to provide strategic direction and the coordination of a diverse range of stakeholders within Federal, State and Territory Governments was integral in unifying Services Australia and State and Territory Government’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her management of this program of work, which was on a scale that has not been seen previously, significantly advanced the relationship between Services Australia and the States and Territories.
Ms Barao Macleod’s leadership achieved an outstanding outcome for the Australian community, enabling the download of approximately 17 million vaccination certificates which supported the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in 2021.
Chloe Morgan BURNS PSM
Department of Health and Aged Care
For outstanding public service in the development of statistical modelling and public health measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Burns, in her role as Assistant Director, Health Economics and Modelling Branch, drove the initial development of statistical modelling to allow a better understanding of how COVID-19 might affect Australia, and to inform public health response measures.
She anticipated and initiated this work in her own time, in anticipation of the need for such a product.
Ms Burns’ unique skill set, combining econometrics and epidemiology, allowed the model she produced to quantify costs, benefits and risks of various policy options.
As the pandemic progressed, she designed and then led a multidisciplinary team to develop modelling for the vaccine rollout, including a methodology and rationale for prioritising particular groups.
She used this modelling to provide detailed quantitative and qualitative advice to senior officials, Ministers, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) and the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer.
Ms Burns’ robust analytical modelling, in particular for the most vulnerable population groups, contributed to Australia’s low rates of infection and death during the Government’s initial response to the pandemic.
Jodi Ann CASSAR PSM
Department of Social Services
For outstanding public service and leadership working across Government to deliver advice, information and support for people with disability, workers and carers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mrs Cassar, in her role as Branch Manager, Portfolio Response COVID-19 Taskforce, demonstrated outstanding leadership under pressure in an environment of considerable public interest.
Her coordination and engagement across Governments, disability and health sectors, and the disability community supported the acceleration of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for people with disability.
At the time of nomination, more than 2.5 million doses of the vaccine had been administered to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants and Disability Support Pension recipients, rates which are among the highest in the world for this group.
Mrs Cassar actively led the establishment of awareness raising activities that had not been attempted before, including direct messaging disability support pension recipients and carers to ensure they had the information and support needed to access vaccines.
She also played a critical role in the initiation and implementation of strategies and projects that supported the distribution of more than 3.3 million Rapid Antigen Test kits for NDIS participants and workers in supported independent living settings to ensure early detection of the virus.
Dr Amanda Jayne CRAIG PSM
Therapeutic Goods Administration
For outstanding public service in leading significant and complex safety and performance reviews of medical devices.
Dr Craig, in her role as Director, Medical Devices Surveillance Branch, contributed significantly to delivering the Government’s regulatory changes to respond to patient safety concerns, in particular, for adverse events experienced by women from medical devices.
She has played a vital and critical role in implementing post market reviews of breast implants, transvaginal mesh devices and a range of other devices.
Dr Craig has worked tirelessly examining the evidence and instigating timely regulatory action to remove products.
She has most recently also supported the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic through reviews of face masks and rapid antigen tests. Dr Craig played a significant national leadership role representing the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on the Australian Breast Device Registry (ABDR) and the Australasian Pelvic Floor Procedure Registry (APFPR), providing guidance and active input to registry activities.
Dr Craig’s work, through the TGA’s management of breast device regulation, has led to a significant reduction in the use of certain devices by Australian surgeons, improving the health of thousands of patients.
Andrea Marie FAULKNER PSM
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
For outstanding public service in leading Australia’s Embassy in Myanmar and commitment to advancing Australia’s interests.
Ms Faulkner, as Ambassador to Myanmar, demonstrated leadership and compassion for others during her posting from February 2019 to April 2022.
Her duty of care for Embassy staff increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and the military coup in February 2021. Ms Faulkner showed great resolve to ensure Embassy staff were supported and made their welfare a top priority.
Ms Faulkner’s commitment to promoting Australia’s interests throughout her posting included advocacy on several highly sensitive and complex diplomatic, consular and humanitarian issues.
She oversaw the delivery of humanitarian and development programs under extremely difficult circumstances following the coup. Ms Faulkner, with the Australian Embassy team, pivoted the entire Australian development program towards urgent humanitarian and development needs, working with partners on the ground to deliver life-saving assistance including food, water, shelter, and gender-based violence services.
Sonje Anoushka FRANKLIN PSM
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
For outstanding public service supporting the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable Australians overseas.
Ms Franklin, in her role as Director, Consular and Crisis Management Division, leads a team of officers who manage more than 600 consular cases each day.
Her work directly contributed to the safety and wellbeing of Australians stranded overseas during the evacuation from Afghanistan, Australians facing persecution during civil unrest in Ethiopia and Australians caught up in the Russia/Ukraine conflict.
Ms Franklin’s work has impacted Australians from all walks of life, but none more so than women and children. The majority (70 per cent) of those brought to safety during the evacuation from Afghanistan were women and children.
Her efforts to assist hundreds of Australians in Afghanistan was a model of both staying power and innovation, including sustained contact with Australians in distress and leading successive shifts of consular crisis staff to check on Australians welfare and provide advice on evacuations.
Ms Franklin also worked tirelessly to provide support and advice to Australian parents engaging in surrogacy services in Ukraine. Her liaison with officers in the field and Government Agencies has been vital in ensuring children born in Ukraine are provided with identification documents so that they are able to depart Ukraine in safety.
She has gone above and beyond to find solutions to protect and support vulnerable Australians.
Fiona Louise GANTER PSM
Office of Parliamentary Counsel
For outstanding public service in legislative instrument drafting and for developing the Office of Parliamentary Counsel’s instrument drafting capability.
Ms Fiona Louise Ganter, Senior Assistant Parliamentary Counsel, has drafted or been involved in the drafting of over 500 legislative instruments for the Australian Government, with particular expertise in relation to significant legislative instruments in the areas of aged care, biosecurity, autonomous sanctions, civil aviation and health.
Following the transfer of functions from the Attorney-General’s Department to Office of Parliamentary Counsel (OPC), Ms Ganter shared her extensive understanding and knowledge of drafting subordinate instruments with OPC drafters.
She also played an outstanding role in building the capability of instrument drafting across all levels of OPC.
Ms Ganter provided service excellence for the Department of Health by drafting over 65 instruments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She drafted critically important instruments relating to vaccination requirements applicable in aged care facilities and the COVID-19 support supplement.
Ms Ganter also drafted six key legislative instruments for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, providing both the enabling legislation for sanctions, and the sanctions themselves, in relation to the Ukraine crisis.
Her invaluable drafting services and advice has made a substantial contribution to OPC, to supporting the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to the Ukraine crisis.
Bryan Geoffrey HODGE PSM
Bureau of Meteorology
For outstanding public service in the delivery of innovative meteorological science, technology and engineering solutions for Australia and its Pacific neighbours.
Mr Hodge, in his role as General Manager, Observing Systems and Operations, has provided outstanding leadership, integral to managing the teams that underpin the Bureau of Meteorology’s (the Bureau) capacity to deliver high quality forecasts and weather observations for the Australian community.
Mr Hodge conceived, designed and implemented world leading and innovative meteorological science, technology and engineering solutions that have profoundly increased the safety, security and prosperity of Australia and its Pacific neighbours.
His world leading technology and engineering knowledge over the past three decades, coupled with his outstanding leadership, has been instrumental in the Bureau’s vital observing systems network digital transformation program. The four-year transformation program has created a dynamic and responsive workforce that has achieved unprecedented levels of performance and capability, service levels, operating efficiencies and customer satisfaction.
Mr Hodge has also been a strong and progressive force in leading the Bureau to introduce renewable energy into the supply mix for various radar sites with a standardised renewable hybrid power supply that can be effectively and reliably deployed into both new and existing meteorological monitoring sites.
His achievements and leadership have had a significantly positive impact on the communities and industries that the Bureau serves, as well as on the operational performance of the Bureau itself.
Andrew Douglas JAGGERS PSM
Department of Finance
For outstanding public service in supporting the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Australians.
Mr Jaggers, in his role as Deputy Secretary, Department of Finance, played a critical role in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, partnering and providing commercial expertise into commercial transactions, including the voluntary administration of Virgin Australia and the onshore manufacturing of pandemic influenza vaccines with Seqirus (CSL).
He also worked closely with Australia Post to ensure that the regulatory framework enabled Australia Post to continue to operate throughout the pandemic.
Mr Jaggers was also responsible for the delivery of purpose-built quarantine facilities in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth (Centres for National Resilience) as part of the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through his leadership and problem solving of both strategic and operational issues, the design, planning and construction of the first centre in Melbourne was completed within six months of the appointment of a Managing Contractor. This was a remarkable achievement which took place in a challenging COVID-19 environment.
Mr Jaggers’ passionate dedication to public service and the public good has left a lasting impact on the Department, the Australian Public Service and the Australian community.
Sarah Aileen JOHNSON PSM
National Disability Insurance Agency
For outstanding public service to Australians with disability through leadership and commitment to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Ms Johnson, in her role as Scheme Actuary, led the development of in-house actuarial, data and business intelligence functions, and spearheaded the Government’s commitment to demonstrate full data transparency.
She was instrumental in the roll out of the Scheme to more than 470,000 Australians with disability.
Ms Johnson played a pivotal leadership role in the design and implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) policy and procedure work. She worked tirelessly to improve the integrity of the data and set new benchmarks for public reporting of the balance between outcomes for Australian citizens and financial sustainability of social investment.
She led the development of the world-first participant outcomes framework in collaboration with people with disability and other stakeholders.
The outcomes framework measures the medium and long-term benefits of the NDIS for participants and their families to track progress over time and provide a better understanding of the supports that lead to good outcomes.
Ms Johnson was also instrumental in supporting participants through the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, by leading negotiations with supermarkets to ensure participants had access to home delivery and assisting in the introduction of flexible funding so participants could purchase Telehealth technology.
Sarah Jane NORRIS PSM
Office of Health Protection
For outstanding public service in reforming the National Medical Stockpile processes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Norris, in her role as acting First Assistant Secretary, joined the National Medical Stockpile (NMS) Taskforce to manage the implementation of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) May 2021 review of the COVID-19 procurements and distribution of NMS items report recommendations.
Ms Norris reformed the processes for disbursing items with an entirely new delivery system capable of handling volumes of items never before attempted by the Commonwealth. In January 2022, more deliveries were processed in one month than in the entire previous history of the NMS, made possible using this new delivery system.
As a result of her work, protective resources were delivered direct from the Commonwealth to thousands of health services including every public and private hospital, all residential aged care facilities and every Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service. Prior to Ms Norris’ reforms, the Commonwealth had never made direct deliveries from the NMS before.
Ms Norris also did outstanding work early in the pandemic while the Office of Health Protection (OHP) was focussed on combatting COVID-19. She worked independently to continue other vital aspects of the OHP’s work, to ensure the needs of Australians with other infectious and environmental diseases were not neglected.
Javier RIBALTA PSM
Services Australia
For outstanding public service through leadership and coordination of Services Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his role as Director, Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), Mr Ribalta’s project management skills were fundamental to the successful design and delivery of the COVID-19 digital certificate.
This was a significant achievement that gave people choice in how they demonstrated proof of vaccination.
Mr Ribalta and his team designed the digital certificate to be easily accessible via myGov through Medicare Online Accounts, the Medicare mobile app and via My Health Record. His contribution ensured continuity and played an important role in achieving core deliverables for Services Australia, including delivery of a cohesive program to deliver core functionality of the AIR.
Mr Ribalta’s exemplary leadership and project management skills led the coordination and negotiation between Federal, State and Territory Governments to meet critical requirements for the delivery of the evolving AIR functionality.
The successful development of functionality enabled the COVID-19 digital certificate to be seamlessly integrated into State and Territory Government check-in apps.
Jane URQUHART PSM
Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
For outstanding public service through sustained contribution to industry and science policy and programs to improve the economic wellbeing, global reputation and national interests of Australia.
Over 10 years, across successive roles, Mrs Urquhart has been instrumental in repositioning the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources as an engaging, trusted and highly-reliable Commonwealth agency.
Mrs Urquhart played a pivotal role during the design and implementation of the 2015 National Innovation Science Agenda (NISA).
Her sustained leadership of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project and as Australia’s voting representative on the International SKA Organisation Board, advanced Australia’s national interests, enhanced our global reputation, and helped Australia secure this major global science asset.
Most recently, Mrs Urquhart’s commitment and contribution has been vital to the decision making process to support business in navigating and reducing the impacts of COVID-19. Her work has contributed to critical initiatives relating to sustaining business-critical imports and time-sensitive exports to minimise disruptions to supply chains and business operations.
Mrs Urquhart’s work supporting the establishment of an onshore mRNA manufacturing capability exemplifies her integrity, professionalism and leadership. She was instrumental in driving the complex cross-portfolio and cross-jurisdictional project.
Andrea Louise WALLACE-GREEN PSM
Department of Social Services
For outstanding public service through sustained and significant contribution to social security policy and delivering outcomes for Australian individuals and families.
Ms Wallace-Green has worked in a range of social security roles over the past 20 years and has an unparalleled understanding of the social security and family payments systems and the interactions between them.
She has led many multi-disciplinary teams and taskforces and she has been instrumental in working collaboratively and developing innovative policy solutions.
Ms Wallace-Green played a key role in supporting Australia’s social security representatives at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), delivering the Secure and Sustainable Pension Reforms (2009); developing and delivering the Clean Energy Advance and Clean Energy Supplement (2012); working age payment reforms (2017); and around 2.6 billion dollars of support through the third and fourth Economic Support Payments (2020 and 2021).
Most recently, she led the development of legislative amendments to deliver one-off Cost of Living Payments, involving consultation and collaboration with Services Australia to ensure the delivery of the outcomes within tight timeframes.
Ms Wallace-Green is an exceptional leader who has made a significant contribution influencing and guiding social security policy to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable Australian individuals and families.
