Daniel Flowers has been promoted to General Manager Reviews and Information Release in the NDIA. Ariane Hermann has been appointed as First Assistant Secretary in the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Photos: LinkedIn.
A breakdown of the latest appointments and moves in the Australian Public Service, the wider public sector and across the public services of the states and territories.
APS Senior Executive Service
Band 1
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has appointed five new officers as Executive Directors of Audit Services: Catherine Pauli, Richard Grant, Ann MacNeill, Nathan Callaway and Anne Rainger.
David Robinson has been appointed Branch Manager Performance, Quality and National Workload in the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
Band 2
Ariane Hermann has been appointed as First Assistant Secretary in the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
Daniel Flowers has been promoted to General Manager Reviews and Information Release in the NDIA.
New Comcare CEO appointed
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth has announced the appointment of Colin Radford as the chief executive officer of Comcare to take over from acting CEO Michael Duke from 17 November.
Mr Radford is described as a leader in Australia’s work health and safety (WHS) and workers’ compensation sectors. He has held senior roles in WHS and workers’ compensation, including as CEO of WorkSafe Victoria and the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority. He served as a member of Safe Work Australia until 2023.
Comcare is responsible for regulating the Commonwealth’s WHS jurisdiction and managing the Commonwealth’s workers’ compensation scheme, along with claims across several injury compensation schemes.
Ms Rishworth welcomed the appointment and said Mr Radford brought extensive experience to the role.
“Mr Radford has broad experience in workers’ compensation and work health and safety. I am confident he will provide strong leadership to Comcare during this important period,” she said.
“Australians deserve a high level of work health and safety when at their place of employment and are entitled to access workers’ compensation if needed. Our government is ensuring that Comcare continues to deliver these obligations.
“I would also like to thank Michael Duke for his dedicated service as acting chief executive officer of Comcare since March of this year.”
Other federal appointments
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has announced several internal promotions and a partial reorganisation of many of its senior roles.
Marek Rucinski has been appointed to head the newly established Enterprise Risk, Change and Integration business unit, which sits in the ATO’s Enterprise Strategy and Corporate Operations (ESCO).
Rebecca Saint will lead another new business unit, Litigation and Legal Services.
Grant Brodie has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Individuals & Intermediaries, effective 10 November.
Michael Morton has been appointed as Acting Deputy Commissioner, Frontline Services, pending the permanent filling of the role.
Rowan Fox will be promoted to Deputy Commissioner, Small Business, effective 10 November.
Michael O’Neill has been appointed as specialist adviser, Regulatory at the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) from 24 November.
Amy Horton will become the Acting Deputy Commissioner, Frontline Resource Management from 24 November to 29 May, 2026, to cover for Belinda Darling, who will be going on long-term leave.
Andrew Watson has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Smarter Data.
Marek Rucinski (left) will head the ATO’s newly established Enterprise Risk, Change and Integration business unit. Colin Radford has been appointed as the new CEO of Comcare. Photos: LinkedIn & X.
States and territories
Andrew Metcalfe has been appointed as the new independent ACT Public Sector Standards Commissioner to succeed Ian McPhee.
A statement from Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the Public Sector Standards Commissioner was an integral component of the ACT Public Sector (ACTPS) Integrity Framework and played a key role in promoting high standards of conduct across the ACT public sector.
The commissioner operates independently from government and the ACT Public Service, and is responsible for issuing the ACTPS code of conduct, managing complaints and oversighting misconduct processes, as well as other integrity-related functions.
Mr Barr described Mr Metcalfe as a highly regarded senior public sector leader, both in Australia and internationally. He has significant experience as Secretary in various Commonwealth departments, where he dealt with complex and often high-profile issues where integrity was paramount and the political and community stakes were high.
Mr Barr also wished Mr McPhee a happy retirement, and acknowledged his “nearly eight years of dedicated service”, saying that “during his tenure, he raised awareness throughout the service of the ACT Public Sector’s signature behaviours and in doing so, enhanced overall integrity across the service”.
Queensland Deputy Commissioner of Police Shane Chelepy has announced his retirement from the service.
Following Mr Chelepy’s retirement, the Queensland Government has appointed three new Deputy Commissioners: for People and Assets, Mark Kelly; for Disaster and Emergency Management, Chris Stream; and for Regional Operations, John Tims.
The Queensland Government has announced the appointment of Justin Parer as chair of the Government-Owned Corporation (GOC) Stanwell, and Ben Kidston as a director and to become chair from 1 January, 2026, of the GOC Ports North.
Former Queensland director-general of Youth Justice and Victim Support and deputy police commissioner Bob Gee has been appointed as the interim Queensland Victims Commissioner.
Former coroner Philip Urquhart has been appointed as a magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Western Australia.
Karen Ho has been appointed as chair, and Dylan Ogilvie as a member, of Western Australia’s Building and Construction Industry Training Board.
David Harwood has been appointed as a new member of Victoria’s State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), while existing members Vanessa Haigh, Rochelle Lavery and Ross Povey have all been reappointed for five-year terms.
Michael Corboy has been appointed Commissioner of Western Australia’s Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC), succeeding John McKechnie, who retired in June.
The Victorian Government has announced the appointments of Katie Alexander and Annie King as the new co-chairs of the state’s Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council (VSAC).
Former NSW premier Bob Carr and non-executive director Maree O’Halloran have been appointed to the board of Sydney Water for three-year terms effective 17 November.
The NSW Government has announced 12 leaders have been appointed to the 2026 Youth Advisory Council (YAC). The 2026 members are Fayra Petriaton, Hafsa Faizan, Daphne Hutchison, Amelia Hines, Romone Dunlop, Ahmad Chatah, Lara Ristic, Nathanael Guo, Chloe Richards, Josua Relf, Keziah Cameron and Thomas Norman.
The NSW Government has announced the addition of new directors aged 18-28 to some of the state’s major cultural institutions for three-year terms.
The six Cultural Institution Young Board member appointees are Dylan Goh at the Sydney Opera House, Elijah Ingram at the Museums of History NSW, Hamani Tanginoa at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse), Melissa Applin at the Australian Museum, Vivian Pham at the State Library of NSW, and Will Cook at the Art Gallery of NSW.
