(From left) Air Marshal Leon Phillips has retired from his role as Chief of Defence’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Group. David Fredericks has been named as the new deputy chair of the Airservices Australia Board. Natasha Stott Despoja has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner of the independent Defence and Veteran Service Commission (DVSC) to lead the inquiry into Military Sexual Violence. Photos: ADF, DCCEEW, ANU.
A breakdown of the latest appointments and moves in the Australian Public Service, the public services of the states and territories, and the wider public sector.
APS Senior Executive Service
Band 1
Maria Alves has been appointed as an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.
Jennifer Noble has been promoted to Assistant Secretary, Policy and Program Management in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Kirsty Bailey has been appointed as General Manager, Digital Services for Business in the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR).
Other federal appointments
The Federal Government has announced the appointment of David Fredericks as deputy chair of the Airservices Australia (Airservices) Board, and the re-appointment of Nicolle Connelly as a member.
Mr Fredericks has experience in public sector governance, budget and financial management, legal and justice policy, corporate services, economic reform and intergovernmental policy. Most recently, he served as Secretary of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Ms Connelly was first appointed in August 2023, and has held various roles on the board, including her current position as chairperson of the Safety Committee.
The Department of Defence’s inaugural Chief of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Group, Air Marshal Leon Phillips, has retired from the Australian Defence Force as GWEO is rolled into the newly established Defence Delivery Agency (DDA).
AIRMSHL Phillips has the distinction of being the first engineer to achieve the rank of Air Marshal in the Royal Australian Air Force’s 105-year history. GWEO was established in 2022 to build the capability to develop and manufacture advanced guided weapons in Australia in order to be less reliant on global supply chains.
Veterans’ Affairs Minister Matt Keogh has announced the appointment of former leader of the Australian Democrats Natasha Stott Despoja as Deputy Commissioner of the independent Defence and Veteran Service Commission (DVSC) to lead the inquiry into Military Sexual Violence.
The inquiry was recommended by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. Scheduled to start later this year and run for about 12 months, it will make recommendations to improve prevention and early intervention, protections for victim-survivors of military sexual violence, ensure perpetrators are held to account and advance a victim-centric approach within the ADF.
Ms Stott Despoja is a former Royal Commissioner for South Australia’s Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, and served as Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls from 2013 to 2016.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has announced the appointment of Deputy Chief Judge Patrizia Mercuri to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1), effective from 7 October.
Deputy Chief Judge Mercuri was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1991, was appointed judge of the Federal Circuit Court in 2017, and began her current role as Deputy Chief Judge (General and Fair Work) of the Federal Circuit and Family Court (Division 2) in 2021.
States and territories
Commissioner Jeremy Smith has announced his retirement as Tasmanian Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner.
The NSW Government has announced the appointments of Camilla Pandolfini and Karen Cox to the Hardship Review Board, which reviews decisions made by Revenue NSW where individuals are unable to pay fines, fees or taxes.
Western Australian Attorney-General Tony Buti has announced the appointment of Stuart Cobbett as a magistrate of the Magistrates Court and Children’s Court of Western Australia.
