James Copeman (left) has been appointed as Assistant Commissioner – East in the Department of Home Affairs. Matthew Filipowski has been appointed as the Operations and Logistics branch head in the DCCEEW. Photos: LinkedIn.
A breakdown of the latest appointments 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
Rachael Byrnes has been appointed as Assistant Commissioner for Digital Client Interactions in the Australian Taxation Office.
Tom Savage is now Assistant Secretary of Enabling Services at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Greg Dowse has been appointed Commander, Illicit Tobacco & Vape Enforcement in the Department of Home Affairs.
Graeme Campbell has been appointed Commander, Customs Enforcement in the Department of Home Affairs.
Natasha O’Farrell has been appointed as Assistant Secretary/Commander – Immigration in the Department of Home Affairs.
Georgia Weichert has been appointed as general manager of Professional Services Review in the Department of Health.
Matthew Filipowski has been appointed as the Operations and Logistics branch head in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Band 2
John Swieringa has been appointed as First Assistant Secretary in the Department of the Treasury.
James Copeman has been named as Assistant Commissioner – East in the Department of Home Affairs.
Tim Kane has been appointed as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Pakistan. Dr Helen Cheney has been appointed as Australia’s next Ambassador to Portugal. Photos: DFAT.
Other federal appointments
Tim Kane has been appointed as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Pakistan, succeeding Neil Hawkins.
Mr Kane is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). He was most recently the director of DFAT’s Victoria State Office, and has previously served as Australia’s Ambassador to Brazil and Australia’s Ambassador to Chile. He has also had postings in Spain, the US and Mexico.
Dr Helen Cheney has been appointed as Australia’s next Ambassador to Portugal to replace Indra McCormick.
Dr Cheney is a career officer with DFAT and was most recently Australia’s High Commissioner to Nauru. She has also previously served in Thailand and Indonesia.
Greta Whyte has been appointed as Australia’s next Consul-General in Papeete, French Polynesia, taking over from Alison Shea.
Ms Whyte has served as Australia’s acting Consul-General in Papeete, has held various roles in the Middle East and Africa division, and before joining DFAT worked in senior leadership roles in the humanitarian sector in the Middle East, the UK, and the Pacific region.
Paul O’Sullivan has been reappointed as chair of Western Sydney Airport (WSA) Co Limited. Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said Mr O’Sullivan’s reappointment would provide continuity to the board as the airport moved from the construction phase to operations from mid-2026.
The Federal Government has appointed 13 members to the Implementation Advisory Group supporting Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan.
The group is made up of deaf and disabled artists and arts workers who bring a broad range of experience from across the arts, screen, digital games and cultural sectors.
The members are: Adrian Robertson, Ade Djajamihardja, Stephanie Dower, Catherine Dunn, Gia Hilditch, Debra Keenahan, Geoffrey Lim, Meg Riley, Elise Romaszko, Cara-Ann Simpson, Hannah Lee Tungate, Daniel Aylett (observer member), and Georgia Scott (observer member). The members represent every state and territory and include a mix of emerging leaders, established professionals, experienced advocates and agents for change to ensure people with disability are a core part of implementing, monitoring and evaluating the key activities bringing Equity plan to life.
Paul O’Sullivan has been reappointed as the chair of Western Sydney Airport. Greta Whyte has been appointed as Australia’s next Consul-General in Papeete, French Polynesia. Photos: WSA and DFAT.
States and territories
The Victorian Government has appointed Tony Bates as its new Secretary of the Department of Education, succeeding Jenny Atta.
Mr Bates has been Acting Secretary and previously held the role of Deputy Secretary. He has also held senior roles at Justice and Regulation, Premier and Cabinet, and Victoria Police.
The Western Australian Government has expanded the capacity and capability of its Gaming and Wagering Commission and has appointed former WA Police Force assistant commissioner Paul Steel, lawyer Melanie Cave, and former government minister Bill Johnston as new members of the commission.
They join chair Gary Dreibergs and existing members Katie Hodson-Thomas, Colin Murphy, Helen Creed and Sam Buckeridge, all of whom have been reappointed.
TAFE Queensland CEO John Tucker has announced he will leave the role in December.
Queensland’s first Victims’ Commissioner Beck O’Connor has resigned, effective 23 September.
The Queensland Government has announced the appointment of new board positions for state-owned water supply companies Sunwater and Seqwater. Seqwater primarily manages water infrastructure and long-term supply planning in South-East Queensland, while Sunwater manages most of the bulk water infrastructure across the rest of the state.
The new Sunwater appointments are Jeff Seeney as chair, and John Cotter, John Davis, Katy Steele and Dr Kayleen Walsh as directors of Sunwater.
The new appointments at Seqwater are John McEvoy as chair, and Amanda Cooper, Mark Girard, Amanda Kenafake, Antonia Mercorella and Pauline Thomson as members.
