Tanzer to taskforce
John Tanzer has been appointed to Chair Queensland’s independent Future Fisheries Taskforce.
As a previous Chair of the Queensland Fisheries Management Authority, Mr Tanzer comes with the skills needed along with the other members of the Taskforce to bring a strong set of recommendations to government.
The independent taskforce is being established to provide expert advice to Government on ensuring Queenslanders will continue to enjoy good quality seafood as we transition to more sustainable fishing methods.
Four Magistrates appointed
Four new Magistrates have been appointed to the Magistrates Court and will sit in regional and north Queensland.
The new appointees, Mary Buchanan, Leanne Scoines and Michael Holohan, were sworn in on 10 July and Michael Dalton will be on 24 July.
Ms Buchanan has been an acting Magistrate in Gladstone since January and has an extensive legal career dating back more than two decades. She has been appointed to Gladstone for three years.
Ms Scoines’ appointment follows her working as an acting Magistrate for four years across various regions including Southport, Mackay, Gladstone, Dalby, Mt Isa and Cairns. Ms Scoines has been appointed to a three-year tenure in Cairns.
Mr Dalton has been working as a solicitor in Cairns for nearly a decade, a Senior Crown prosecutor in England; with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and as a private barrister e for the past decade. Mr Dalton has been appointed to Cairns for three years.
Mr Holohan (pictured) has been an acting Magistrate since July 2022, after a career in the law and criminal justice fields. He was a scientific officer with Queensland Police Service in the early 1990s and will serve his first five months in Brisbane before relocating to Mt Isa for two years.
New term for mental health chief
Ivan Frkovic has been re-appointed as Commissioner of the Queensland Mental Health Commission for the next three years.
He was first appointed to the role in 2017, with this re-appointment bringing to 30 years his experience in the Queensland mental health sector.
Mr Frkovic (pictured) will continue to oversee development and implementation of the Whole-of Government Strategic Plan to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Queenslanders.
The Government has allocated $1.64 billion to continue expanding mental health support.
Former health boss steps in again
Michael Walsh has been appointed Acting Director-General of Queensland Health from 24 July.
Mr Walsh (pictured), who previously served as Director-General from 2015-to-2019, will step in while an international recruitment campaign is launched for a permanent replacement.
Most recently, Mr Walsh reviewed the National Hospital Funding Agreement.
His immediate task will be to ensure the $764 million plan to reduce ambulance ramping and pressures in the health system is delivering better outcomes for Queensland patients.
Andrews to lift manufacturing skills
Rebecca Andrews has been appointed Chief Executive of Manufacturing Skills Queensland (MSQ), beginning in July.
Ms Andrews has served in a number of leadership roles, including as Queensland State Head of the Australian Industry Group and Deputy Director-General, Small Business at the Department of Employment, Small Business, and Training.
MSQ is an independent body funded by the Government to drive growth in the State’s manufacturing industry.
It identifies the training and skills required by manufacturers and employees.
Frazer new Biomedical Advisor
Ian Frazer has been appointed the State Government’s new Biomedical Advisor.
Professor Frazer (pictured) will also take on the role of Chair of the Translational Science Hub Statement of Cooperation Steering Committee.
He is an international leader in the biomedical field, recognised globally for his contribution to medical science, and particularly his work in developing the human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical cancer vaccine.
Professor Frazer will work with the industry to promote Queensland’s biomedical sector and encourage further investment in the State’s biomedical ecosystem.
Andreatidis for District Court
King’s Counsel, Nicholas Andreatidis has been appointed a Judge of the District Court.
Mr Andreatidis (pictured) has appeared in numerous lengthy trials in the Supreme Court of Queensland, the Federal Court, and in arbitrations.
He has appeared at a number of high-profile inquiries, including the Robodebt Royal Commission, Queensland’s Grantham Floods Inquiry, and the Paradise Dam Commission of Inquiry.
Mr Andreatidis has served on the Queensland Bar Association Council since 2017. He has also been a member of the Association’s Ethics Sub-committee for the past four years.
Scott to head Racing Queensland
Jason Scott has been appointed Chief Executive of Racing Queensland.
Mr Scott (pictured) has been based in the United States as Vice President Trading, VIP and Retail Operations for BetMGM. Before that he served as Chief Executive of Ladbrokes Australia from 2017 to 2019.
His appointment comes at a key time for racing in Queensland, with the Government’s new funding model in place, seeing 80 per cent Betting Tax revenue reinvested back into the industry.
Mr Scott said he saw his role as stimulating wagering growth and working with Tabcorp to increase pari-mutuel betting on Queensland product.
Officer for Pacific trade
Leata Alaimoana has been appointed the State’s Trade Commissioner for the Pacific.
Based in the Brisbane office of Trade and Investment Queensland, Ms Alaimoana (pictured) will travel extensively through the region.
She has 20 years’ experience managing projects in economic development, international trade and investment, and international affairs.
Most recently Ms Alaimoana was Impact Investment Manager with Pacific Trade Invest Australia, the trade and investment arm of the Pacific Islands Forum.
New for Law Reform Commission
President Fleur Kingham has been appointed Chair of the Queensland Law Reform Commission.
President Kingham (pictured) is the current President of the Land Court of Queensland and is a former District Court Judge, Children’s Court of Queensland Judge, and a Judge of the Planning and Environment Court.
She has also served as a member of the Land Court, as Deputy President of the Land and Resources Tribunal, and as Deputy President of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
President Kingham succeeds Justice Peter Applegarth, who has resigned.
Judge to Supreme Court
District Court Judge Catherine Muir has been appointed to the Trial Division as a Supreme Court Justice.
Judge Muir (pictured) fills the vacancy left by Justice David Boddice following his appointment to the Court of Appeal.
Judge Muir will join the Supreme Court bench on 11 April with the swearing-in to be held the following day.
She was appointed to the District Court in November 2016 and was subsequently appointed to the Children’s Court of Queensland and the Planning and Environment Court.
Vardon school accreditation
Cheryl Vardon has been appointed the lead the review of the non-State Schools Accreditation Framework
The review seeks to ensure powers held by the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board (NSSAB) remain fit for purpose.
The legislation establishing the NSSAB has been in place for five years.
The inaugural Queensland Family and Child Commissioner, Ms Vardon (pictured) has had a distinguished career as an educator and is also a former Commissioner for Public Administration in the ACT.
Taylor for Women’s Safety
Catherine Taylor has been appointed the permanent Independent Implementation Supervisor to oversee the Government’s response to recommendations made by the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce.
Ms Taylor (pictured) will also oversee the implementation of the Government response to the Independent Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service responses to domestic and family violence.
Her appointment follows a nationwide recruitment process and she has been appointed for a minimum of two years.
Linda Apelt, the Interim Independent Implementation Supervisor, is to continue in that role until Ms Taylor commences.
O’Brien for Racing Panel
The new independent Racing Appeals Panel is to be chaired by former judge, Kerry O’Brien (pictured).
The Panel, which will begin work on 31 March, will replace internal reviews made by the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission and the majority of Queensland Civil Administration Tribunal appeals relating to racing stewards’ decisions.
The panel will have two Deputy Chairs, Dianne Condon and Peter O’Neill with members Martin Einfeld, Juanita Maiden, Darren Guppy, Brian Stewart, Lyndsey Hicks, Daryl Kays, John McCoy and Edwin Wilkinson.
Further members are to be announced soon.
University names new ethics chief
Thomas Maak has been appointed inaugural Professorial Chair in Ethics at the University of Queensland’s Business School.
A leading scholar in the field of business ethics and responsible leadership, Professor Maak (pictured) joins from the University of Melbourne where he was Director of its Centre for Workplace Leadership.
As Chair of Ethics, Professor Maak will embed the skills of responsible leadership and ethical decision-making across a range of courses
