Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has marked her birthday in 2021 by recognising the commitment and dedication of the many public servants who have served the people of Australia over and above the call of duty in the past year and beyond.
Her Majesty’s awards, presented by the Order of Australia, were unveiled for the public in Canberra earlier this week by the Governor-General, General David Hurley on her behalf.
Staff members of the Australian Public Service recognised and honoured by the Queen on her birthday included:
COMPANION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AC)
Frances ADAMSON AC
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
For eminent service to public administration through the advancement of Australia’s diplomatic, trade and cultural interests, particularly with the People’s Republic of China and the Indo-Pacific region, to innovative foreign policy development and high level program delivery, and as the 36th Governor appointed in South Australia.
Ms Adamson has been Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade since 2016. She is to become Governor of South Australia in October this year.
PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL (PSM)
Jessica Isla BALLINGER PSM
Department of Social Services
For outstanding public service through social support services for Indigenous and vulnerable people in Queensland.
Ms Ballinger has demonstrated strategic leadership and effective community engagement in a number of roles with the Department of Social Services in Queensland. Her strong skills in collaboration and consultation have informed effective responses to the delivery of services across different levels of government and the rapid availability of government funded services for vulnerable Queenslanders.
She has consistently provided timely advice to Government to allow it to make informed decisions to serve the community better. She has driven the provision of critical support to Queenslanders during times of crisis. Her ability to identify emerging risks and opportunities allows for rapid assessment of impacts on the service system and provider capacity to support the community.
She also connects government providers with other support services to enable cross-referral between agencies, to forecast needs for the longer term recovery and to identify future support service needs. Her contribution to policy development and service is highly valued by other state and local agencies, community and cultural leaders and faith groups.
Ms Ballinger’s ability to deliver innovative practical thinking and design and service systems upgrades have improved outcomes for children and families experiencing deep and persistent poverty and disadvantage in Queensland.
Shane Andrew BENNETT PSM
Services Australia
For outstanding public service to the development of social security policies, particularly to the design of the Government’s economic support payments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Bennett has made an outstanding contribution to the public service for over 25 years. His expertise has been in service delivery, governance and social security policy, and most recently he led the formation and implementation of social security policies to respond with urgency to the COVID-19 crisis and minimise its impact on individuals and the economy.
With principal responsibility for designing policies and legislative changes, he developed the enhanced JobSeeker payment, Coronavirus Supplement, and a range of economic support payments. His work streamlined and simplified claims processes. He also contributed to increasing the frequency of reporting of payment data to the Department of Finance to help inform the COVID-19 economic recovery.
He was key to developing innovative and responsive policy solutions and delivering in days what normally would have taken months to achieve. At the same time he led business as usual activities associated with the social security system, including continuing large scale welfare reforms and important reforms to the payment system.
Mr Bennett has made a significant contribution to the implementation of the Government’s response to the economic crisis, and to the wellbeing of the Australian community.
Sarah Jane BENSON PSM
Australian Federal Police
For outstanding public service through driving innovation and forensic science capability for the Australian Federal Police.
Dr Benson is internationally recognised for her research, development of forensic best practice models, and constantly driving change in technical and procedural aspects of forensics.
As an innovator in her field, she has strengthened the capacity of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to prevent and respond to serious crime, including terrorism and transnational crime. She has positioned the AFP as a forensic partner of choice, leading regional collaborations and internationally significant investigations through forensic strategy development alongside International law enforcement partners and United Nations.
In support of major operations, she displayed outstanding operational leadership of many of the AFP’s most challenging and demanding responses to criminal threats, terrorist incidents and natural disasters.
As a technical expert in forensics, she has been responsible for the planning of many complex and large scale operations responses by the AFP. She has led and influenced collaborative initiatives across law enforcement agencies that have strengthened Australia’s capability and capacity and increased the safety of our community.
Dr Benson has transformed the forensic science capability of the AFP and, through her efforts has helped improved the security of the Australian community.
Elisabeth Mae BOWES PSM
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
For outstanding public service to international trade policy, particularly as Head of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Taskforce.
Ms Bowes is an international trade lawyer, who was key to setting up and leading the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade taskforce charged with defending Australia’s Plain Packaging Tobacco legislation in a World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute.
Under her leadership, the Taskforce deftly navigated over 5,000 pages of submissions, 1,700 exhibits and 80 expert reports. Australia’s ground breaking legislation was challenged by several countries and her persistence was admirable as the Taskforce came under sustained and protracted pressure from a well-funded and influential tobacco industry.
She personally argued Australia’s case and successfully defended Australia’s position during panel hearings at the WTO. The outcome achieved ensured Australia could continue to pursue policies to reduce tobacco use, and improve health outcomes for the community, seeing a significant decline in the number of young smokers. Additionally, it encouraged many other countries to introduce similar measures, aimed at enhancing health outcomes for their own citizens.
Ms Bowes has subsequently represented Australia as Head of Trade Policy in Washington DC, expertly managing the bilateral trade agreement between Australia and the United States.
James BUTTIGIEG PSM
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
For outstanding public service to consular and crisis management, and enabling complex arrangements for the repatriation of Australians abroad during COVID-19.
Mr Buttigieg’s career in public service has focused on international policy, undertaking challenging roles in Kabul and Port Moresby, and most recently in consular and crisis management.
He has been instrumental to the repatriation of Australians from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 30,000 Australians home through the work of his branch. He has led a diverse team drawn together from across Government to develop innovative practices to bring vulnerable and stranded Australians home.
Through a combination of innovation and careful risk management, he navigated unprecedented challenges to engage Qantas Airlines to expatriate Australians from Wuhan, China, and those on the Diamond Princess Cruise liner in Japan, as international borders closed and public health considerations became paramount. Since that time, over 64 commercial flights have helped bring Australian citizens and permanent residents home from all over the globe.
Mr Buttigieg was vital to developing partnerships with industry and commercial stakeholders, coordinating with five-eye partners, and liaising with other Government agencies, and was relied upon to innovate quickly and deliver operationalised and coordinated plans in response to the crisis.
Shane Patrick CARMODY PSM
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
For outstanding public service to modernising air safety regulations and drone pilot licencing.
Mr Carmody’s 30 year public service career has encompassed senior business management, policy and regulatory roles in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), and the Departments of Defence, Finance, Veterans’ Affairs and Infrastructure.
He has directly contributed to air safety, revitalising CASA as a safety regulator. He has significantly improved the Authority’s performance and ability to respond to rapid technological changes and support the economic challenges currently facing the airline industry.
Under his guidance and leadership, he has driven CASA to deliver significant reforms for the aviation industry, starting with the completion of a long standing project to modernise air safety regulations. This has led to rebuilding of industry confidence in the regulator. He has championed the digitisation of services including the quick processing of Remote Pilot Licences which, during the 2019-20 bushfires, directly enabled drone pilots to be trained, licenced and operational on a fire front within days.
Mr Carmody has, during the COVID-19 pandemic, been critical to the development of alternative ways of maintaining safety, while ensuring airlines continue to comply with regulations. This has allowed the industry to safely maintain currency of crew time and re-train crew who may have been out of operations, ensuring the industry is able to a rapidly increase air travel post-COVID-19.
Chris FAULKNER PSM
National Disability Insurance Agency
For outstanding public service to complex development of policy in support of Australians with a disability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Faulkner has been instrumental in ensuring the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) continued to deliver the National Disability Insurance Scheme without interruption, implementing alternative arrangements to ensure continuity of support needs as well as its COVID-19 measures.
Her skills in stakeholder consultation and collaboration across governments, disability and health sectors, academics, and people with disability was vital to the development of the NDIA COVID-19 response plan and key policy and procedural work.
She was pivotal in the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment to the disability sector from the national stockpile. With her knowledge of health and disability, combined with her emergency management experience, she worked closely with NDIA partners and providers to understand their requirements and address issues with respect of the needs of people with a disability.
Ultimately, there have been significantly lower positive case numbers and lives lost in the disability community compared with the general population.
Ms Faulkner has demonstrated a long term commitment to the safety and welfare of Australians with a disability.
Belinda Jane FRASER PSM
Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
For outstanding public service to fostering collaborative arrangements for securing ventilators for the Australian Government National Medical Stockpile in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Fraser has made a significant contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic in her role with the Ventilator Taskforce.
She was integral to developing a blueprint to ensure the stock of invasive ventilators was adequate, and establishing a strategy to secure sufficient ventilators to meet anticipated peak forecasted demand.
She was key to securing medical equipment at a time when ventilators were in high demand, during an extremely competitive global environment. She was responsible for leading work on engagement with key ventilator manufacturers, both in Australia and internationally, and in developing contracts for supply. She quickly built rapport with stakeholders by facilitating collegiate and helpful relationships, and was able to secure a coordinated approach to sourcing.
In particular, Ms Fraser fostered a successful and valuable partnership with Australia’s largest supplier of respiratory healthcare solutions, identifying innovative ways to support the company, allowing them to continue producing ventilators for the national medical stockpile.
Paul John GRIGSON PSM
Department of Home Affairs
For outstanding public service through driving resolutions to complex issues and the Government’s response and recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Grigson has had a long public service career, most recently in emergency management where he led the government’s response to the 2019-2020 bushfires, and in leading the non-health response to COVID-19.
He demonstrated strong leadership in the development of a whole of government approach to develop a national strategy in response to the extraordinary bushfires over the summer of 2019-20. His collaboration with identified key contacts in each jurisdiction drove the establishment of daily forums to coordinate efforts. This consistent and rapid sharing of information allowed effective and timely briefing of the Prime Minister and other relevant Ministers as well as a clear understanding of strategic issues and tactical and operational response requirements.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he established the National Coordination Mechanism to coordinate the non-health response, establishing sector group meetings covering 30 different stakeholder groups to deliver tangible solutions, identifying when to alert governments for intervention and keeping all stakeholders involved and informed. He also led the development of the National Framework for reopening agreed by National Cabinet.
Mr Grigson was also key to engaging stakeholders and establishing and chairing the Supermarkets Taskforce to coordinate efforts across governments and with industry, ensuring nationwide food security and public and team safety.
Anastasia (Anna) HARMER PSM
Department of Finance
For outstanding public service to law reform, and through leading the Office of the Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements.
Ms Harmer has made a sustained contribution to policy development and law reform in national security, criminal justice and international crime cooperation. Through her deep knowledge of the legal and legislative frameworks she consistently demonstrates her capacity to work through complex policy challenges.
She was a driving force behind the creation of Australia’s first telecommunications data retention scheme, and the comprehensive reform of espionage and foreign interference laws. She has established a reputation as one of the leading thinkers in Government on national security and criminal justice policy.
Her ability to draw together multi-disciplinary teams for the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements was instrumental to enabling inquiry into sensitive and wide ranging matters, in an environment of significant complexity, traumatised stakeholders, and the impacts of COVID-19.
Ms Harmer was integral to the design of a ‘fully virtual’ operating model for the Royal Commission, enabling the timely delivery of its mandate, with no decrease in public participation or performance of its function. This was the first time a Royal Commission was ‘fully virtual’ and this model has subsequently been adopted for the Aged Care and Disability Royal Commissions.
Matthew Frederick HAY PSM
Australian Taxation Office.
For outstanding public service in the application of contemporary online services, core technology platforms, and complex IT systems for the Australian Taxation Office.
Mr Hay has held public service leadership roles spanning service delivery, change management, and IT solutions. In his current role, he leads the maintenance and continued improvement of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) core technology platforms.
During 2020, he was pivotal to the implementation of the Government’s 2020 economic stimulus measures. As technical lead, he demonstrated commitment to delivering the digital aspects of the ATO’s package of economic stimulus measures including JobKeeper, Early Release of Super, and Cash Flow Boost. The scale of these tasks was unprecedented and he took responsibility for the development and delivery of technology solutions and infrastructure, implementing some of the largest economic measures in Australian history within incredibly short time frames.
He orchestrated the work across all three measures simultaneously enabling delivery of the measures within six weeks of the announcement, creating timely access to economic support for many Australians.
He was also responsible for the smooth execution of Tax Time 2020, which saw a sixfold increase in digital transactions compared to the previous year. This enabled Australians to easily manage their tax affairs and quickly deliver refunds, reducing their financial difficulties during a challenging year.
Rachel Jasmine JOLLY PSM
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
For outstanding public service through innovative policy development and implementation supporting Pacific Islander workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Jolly was integral to the operational and policy work to preserve the delivery of the Pacific Labour Scheme, and the Seasonal Worker Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She managed the immediate effect of the pandemic, and developed practical arrangements for approximately 8,000 Pacific workers who were in Australia and impacted by COVID-19. The pandemic response complicated worker travel within Australia to new jobs and prevented workers from returning home when borders closed.
Additionally she and her team brought stakeholders together to develop solutions to redeploy over 6,000 Pacific workers to ensure a reliable source of labour for agricultural producers at a time when other temporary migrant workers were in short supply. She drove the operational and policy response to ensure that the Pacific Labour Scheme remained functional, securing low to semi-skilled workers from the region to address gaps in the Australian workforce.
Ms Jolly was integral to managing complex welfare issues, developing communications material about health and safety in Pacific languages, and facilitating bespoke support for the health and mental health needs of Pacific workers, particularly in meat works and aged care facilities.
Alison Jayne McMILLAN PSM
Department of Health
For outstanding public service to driving the Government’s national health response priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly to infection prevention measures.
Ms McMillan has played an impactful, hands-on role during the Government’s response to COVID-19. Drawing on years of experience in disaster preparedness and response, she has rapidly responded to a number of critical activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her expertise in infection control, nursing and clinical operations have been crucial to containing the spread of COVID-19. She is a fully trained AUSMAT (Australian Medical Assistance Team) member, demonstrating outstanding disaster management expertise and leadership of Australian contingents to humanitarian assistance deployments, including to Banda Ache in 2005, and as an adviser to the Fijian Ministry of Health following Cyclone Winston in 2016.
She volunteered to deploy to Japan to assist with the repatriation of Australians from the COVID-19 stricken Diamond Princess Cruise liner, and continued to provide medical support and care right through the quarantine period at Howard Springs. She was again called upon when help was needed to manage the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in aged care facilities in Victoria. She reviewed infection prevention measures and implemented tougher controls in aged care facilities.
She drew together Commonwealth and Victorian Government agencies using her extensive professional networks and created a coordinated approach that focused on ensuring safety, dignity and continuity of care was maintained for thousands of aged care residents.
Ms McMillan has continually provided sustained high quality advice on infection prevention and emergency health management in a high-tempo, complex environment.
Peter Leonard MASTERSON PSM
Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
For outstanding public service through leading engagement with local business communities, linking them to Government and Industry business grants and support programs.
Mr Masterson, as the AusIndustry Regional Manager for the Illawarra, South Coast and Southern Highlands of New South Wales, has been a champion for the economic growth of the region and in supporting local businesses to succeed.
He is one of the region’s strongest advocates, and provides extensive face to face support for regional business operators, working across federal, state and local governments, industry associations, and the university and research sector. He assists businesses to successfully navigate government support programs and grant opportunities.
Additionally, his hands on approach to showcasing the Commonwealth’s Business Portal has resulted in the region securing grant funding for local and new start-up businesses. He is actively engaged with local business, and has effectively gathered insights from the business community and economic landscape around current and emerging issues, which has fed into policy and program design.
Mr Masterson was also a key conduit between businesses in bushfire affected regions, and aid agencies, to assist those affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires, and he worked closely with those agencies to ensure business needs were understood.
Niko MILIC PSM
Services Australia
For outstanding public service through the development of communications protocols in aged care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Milic is a highly experienced crisis team leader, and compassionate social worker, who was deployed to Newmarch House to lead the Family Support Response.
He is a highly skilled collaborator, developing, implementing and coordinating processes to address concerns and provide ongoing support between residents, onsite staff and family members, including family members of the deceased.
He is a champion of innovative use of technology in social work, enabling contemporary delivery of targeted support services. He was essential to the rapid development of a solution to support residents and families during the COVID-19 outbreak, a highly emotionally charged situation for all involved. He quickly identified client need, built stakeholder trust in new environments, and improved the service delivery response for vulnerable people.
As a result of his efforts, within a very short period of time, communication protocols were established and communication improved dramatically. The model of communications protocols and support for families developed for Newmarch House set a new benchmark, and the template was mirrored to support families of aged-care residents during the COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne.
Mr Milic’s priority is achieving the best results for the community, and he makes a significant difference in the lives of Australians through his direct support and his continuous drive of service delivery enhancements.
Debbie MITCHELL PSM
Department of Education, Skills and Employment
For outstanding public service to the implementation of Government policy and the delivery of streamlined Job Seeker service to support Australians.
Ms Mitchell demonstrated outstanding leadership, direction and coordination to rapidly redesign JobSeeker, and accelerate access to economic stimulus to support those impacted by COVID-19.
She played a central role in enabling Services Australia to deliver Government outcomes and give confidence to the Australian community in a time of national crisis. In tight timeframes, and under significant pressure, she radically re-designed the JobSeeker experience. She led a multidisciplinary team comprising key Services Australia stakeholders, the Department of Social Services, and the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, ensuring policy and delivery alignment.
This work involved the development of complex legislation to deliver these measures and oversaw technical changes to enable people to quickly access payments. The reforms and measures Ms Mitchell was key to introducing also reduced red tape, including through the implementation of the temporary mutual obligation requirements for the streamlined online claim form. It also reduced the need for face to face contact, making the process simpler and safer for both stakeholders and staff.
James Matthew O’HALLORAN PSM
Australian Taxation Office
For outstanding public service to superannuation reforms, and to the implementation of infrastructure to enable the Government’s economic support measures to Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr O’Halloran has, throughout his public service career, demonstrated commitment to achieving positive outcomes for Australians, and reforming policy in areas such as GST, taxation and superannuation.
He is highly respected for his advice on complex taxation issues, and his leadership through a significant period of reform has delivered tangible results for the retirement income system that supports many Australians.
Collaborating closely with industry groups, employers and professional associations, he has delivered substantial reform for the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Government and all Australians, particularly in relation to the superannuation reforms outlined in the 2016 and 2017 Budgets.
Driving innovation, the Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting system was introduced under his stewardship and allows employers to report superannuation and other payday information. The development of STP has created an improved experience for employers, employees and super funds. He also facilitated the program to reunite Australians with billions of dollars of lost and unclaimed superannuation.
Mr O’Halloran’s ability to adapt quickly, and his appreciation of the financial burden many businesses were experiencing during COVID-19, drove the ATO’s rapid deployment of the Government’s JobKeeper program. Working with other agencies, he focused on designing a system that used existing architecture and integrated data already collected in the STP to optimise the benefits, experience and timely delivery of economic support for the Australian community.
Ann Elizabeth REDMOND PSM
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
For outstanding public service in program design, particularly through the support of the regional aviation industry as part of the COVID Aviation Response Task.
Ms Redmond was a foundation member and key leader of the COVID Aviation Response Taskforce. She played a vital role in designing and implementing the $2.7 billion package of measures which was implemented to stabilise the sector and ensure minimum levels of aviation connectivity were maintained.
She worked closely with stakeholders to ensure the impacts of the pandemic on regional aviation were clearly understood by the Government, and that support from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications was provided in ways that were both practical and implementable by the industry. As a result, every regional airline operating at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic was able to continue operating through 2020.
With her deep understanding of the aviation industry, she personally took a lead role in designing and implementing a series of complex, innovative and inter-related programs and policies, with consideration of the ever changing global and domestic health landscape.
Ms Redmond’s outstanding contribution is evident by the ongoing delivery of time critical freight, and the continued connection of communities and businesses.
Michael RYAN PSM
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
For outstanding public service to policy and program development to ensure a supply of an agricultural workforce during COVID-19.
Mr Ryan has been at the forefront of agricultural policy development, leading the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s response to the agricultural workforce challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in order to secure and retain a sufficient labour supply to ensure food was harvested for Australian consumption and to maintain continuity of export business.
The closure of international and domestic borders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic created immediate problems for the agriculture sector in sourcing a sufficient supply of workers. He worked tirelessly to secure agreement for the creation of a new sub-class of visa, to bring workers in from Vanuatu to Darwin for a labour mobility trial, and establish new programs and changes to social security arrangements to incentivise Australians to take up seasonal harvest roles.
He worked closely with other government colleagues and used his extensive networks with industry bodies and farmers to promulgate the Government’s actions to address the labour shortage issues.
Mr Ryan crafted innovative policy solutions including on matters which were the primary responsibility of other portfolios, and had a substantial role in cementing the continued availability of fresh produce in supermarkets.
Rebecca Lee SKINNER PSM
Services Australia
For outstanding public service in the areas of national security policy, intelligence, business transformation and service delivery.
Ms Skinner has made a significant contribution to the Public Service and Australian community as a major driver of policy reform and service delivery.
Through her leadership and pragmatic approach, she has ensured the successful implementation of complex reforms in challenging policy environments. Her career has been characterised by the delivery of large scale, enterprise wide reforms and cultural change, significantly improving whole of government capability.
In particular, during the Government’s response to COVID-19, she has provided outstanding technical expertise during a large-scale national crisis, and was pivotal to establishing an emergency response that ensured the financial impact of the pandemic would be minimised for Australian citizens.
Under her leadership, Services Australia coordinated the payment of more than $5.6 billion in Coronavirus Supplements, $5.3 billion in Economic Support Payments and processed 1.4 million JobSeeker claims. The number of aged care subsidies and supplements was increased, new emergency leave provisions were introduced and over $198 million was paid as a one-off COVID-19 Support Supplement for residential aged care providers.
Ms Skinner’s strong and effective leadership and extensive experience across the APS meant she was able to quickly implement government policy, accelerate the transformation agenda for the Agency, and deliver significant and highly valued results to the Australian community.
Celia STREET PSM
Department of Health
For outstanding public service through driving the Government’s national health response priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Street has made an outstanding contribution to the Government’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She has acted as a conduit between the Department of Health and other governments, and has been key to coordinating critical health protection elements amidst competing priorities.
With her understanding of health policy, she effectively led the National Incident Centre providing targeted health advice, helping public service officers, in particular front line regulatory officers and border workers, to ensure critical regulatory work could continue at the border in a safe way.
She regularly provided strong counsel to the Chief Medical Officer and his deputies throughout the emergency. She played a substantial role in making arrangements for onshore manufacturing of PPE, to ensure Australia had a well maintained supply of medical supplies and equipment.
Ms Street has also offered robust advice to the National Coordination Mechanism which was set up to coordinate the non-health response in the Department of Home Affairs, translating complex health information into ‘non-health’ language.
