A breakdown of the latest appointments in the Australian Public Service.
APS Senior Executive Service
Band 1
Yvette Adeney is now chief corporate officer at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Mardi Javis has joined the tribunal from Defence as executive director for user experience and member support.
Peter Good has become assistant secretary of industry, innovation, science and communications at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The Department of Health and Aged Care has promoted Monique Morgan, Jennifer Frisby, Amanda Cheser and Amanda Smith to assistant secretaries.
Band 2
The Office of Parliamentary Counsel has promoted Karyn MacMullin to first assistant parliamentary counsel in its management stream.
Other federal
National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People established
An independent National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will be officially operational from 13 January next year to bring better outcomes for First Nations people.
The commission has been established as an executive agency under the Public Service Act 1999 with applications for the role of the National Commissioner to open this month. It will work across a range of issues, including the over representation of Indigenous children in out-of-home care and youth detention.
A First Nations person will lead as Commissioner, working directly with Indigenous youth and groups such as the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group, other First Nations leaders, state and territory Children’s Commissioners, Guardians and Advocates, as well as the National Children’s Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.
Policy advice will then be provided from the Commissioner to governments to assist in the implementation of key policy frameworks and coordination.
Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) CEO Catherine Liddle said after four decades of advocacy, the office was now official and recruitment for the commissioner should start before the end of the month. Photo: SNAICC.
New Zealand Major General appointed Australia’s newest Deputy Chief of Joint Operations
Major General Hugh McAslan, DSD, New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has been appointed to a new senior position within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as the partnership with our closest neighbour expands.
His ascension to the role of Australia’s newest Deputy Chief of Joint Operations marks the highest senior appointment of an officer from a foreign military into the ADF.
It also comes following the recent appointment of ADF Brigadier Michael Bassingthwaighte, DSM, as the Deputy Commander Headquarters Joint Force New Zealand.
The Major General has spent 35 years in the NZDF working alongside the ADF in operations throughout the world, including Iraq and Timor-Leste, within the strategic intelligence community and across the Indo-Pacific region.
Major General Hugh McAslan (left) and Commodore Aaron Nye, CSC, RAN, during a change-of-command ceremony at General John Baker Complex, Bungendore. Photo: Defence/Emma Schwenke.
New Inspector-General appointed to oversee animal welfare and live animal exports
Dr Katherine Clift has been appointed Australia’s new Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports for five years.
The previous office of the Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports was expanded in December 2023 through amended legislation to include defined animal welfare-related objectives and expertise.
Dr Clift has a background in primary industries and experience leading regulatory systems, including animal welfare, agricultural and veterinary chemical use, food safety, and biosecurity.
Her tenure will see her undertake audits and reviews focused on the systems and processes that underpin the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry regulatory activities.
Dr Clift has experience working in primary industry departments in South Australia, Western Australia and more recently as the executive director of Biosecurity Victoria. Photo: IGAWLAE.
Appointments to the Stronger Places, Stronger People leadership
The Federal Government has made a series of appointments to the Stronger Places, Stronger People (SPSP) National Leadership Group, including Karyn Baylis as its new chair.
Under her leadership, the group will continue its mission to address disadvantage and create better futures for children and their families by strengthening the structures that support the initiative.
Ms Baylis is the non-executive director of Elanor Investors Group, and was instrumental in advancing the Jawun program. She comes with a wealth of industry expertise across the real estate funds management sector and various multinational businesses, and has worked on some of the leading Indigenous reform voices in the country.
The group consists of 13 non-government leaders from across communities, business, philanthropy, academia and service delivery, along with Special Advisers from the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.
Four other new members have joined: Natalie Egleton, Martin Hawson, Professor Maggie Walter and Professor Kirsty Muir. Dr Michelle Lucas has joined as a community representative.
The Federal Government committed $64 million over six years to 30 June, 2029, to extend and enhance the existing partnerships under the SPSP initiative.
Professor Jack Beetson, Max Saxby, Tara Day-Williams and Carolyn Atkins share good practices at a panel for the SPSP initiative. Photo: CFI.
Changing of the guard at the NDIS Commission
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has thanked outgoing Acting NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner Michael Phelan APM for his contribution over the past six months, as new Commissioner Louise Glanville and Associate Commissioner Natalie Wade take the helm.
Minister Shorten said Acting Commissioner Phelan’s strong focus on weeding out unscrupulous providers while strengthening the NDIS Commission’s processes and keeping a focus on safeguarding the rights of people with disability had resulted in significant improvements.
During his tenure, the NDIS Commission:
- Initiated the design of a fit-for-purpose risk-based Prioritisation Model to ensure the NDIS Commission’s resources are directed to the matters of the highest priority;
- Implemented a state-of-the-art communication system in the contact centre, which has resulted in twice as many calls handled;
- Advocated for the proposed reforms to registration to be prioritised, which will begin with compulsory registration for platform providers, support coordinators and SIL providers;
- Strengthened compliance and enforcement processes and prioritised intelligence functions to maximise the return on the Australian Government’s investment in DART;
- Commissioned an external human resources review to bolster the NDIS Commission’s HR function as it matures;
- Appointed the firm led by former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to lead a comprehensive review into the workplace culture of the NDIS Commission.
Before entering the NDIS, Michael Phelan served as CEO of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and director of the Australian Institute of Criminology. Photo: ACIC.
Committee established to share the future of NDIS pricing
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has established an Independent Pricing Committee to review the scheme’s pricing approaches and recommend changes designed to lead to a higher quality and sustainable disability provider market.
It has already begun work, aiming to make its first recommendations to the NDIA board by the end of this year, with further recommendations in February 2025. After taking into account the views of people with disability, providers and unions, its advice will be used to support the development of the 2024-25 Annual Pricing Review.
The committee’s members are Stephen Anthony (chair), Gemma Henderson and Dr Ron Ben-David.
Over the past three decades, committee chair Mr Anthony has worked in the Federal Treasury and Department of Finance, the International Monetary Fund, and the private sector providing advice on macroeconomic policy, global capital markets, taxation reform, and budget analysis. He was also the lead economic analyst and adviser to the ACT’s Taxation Review and was chief economist at Industry Super Australia for almost six years.
Independent Pricing Committee chair Stephen Anthony is the chief economist at Macroeconomics Advisory. Photo: Monash University.
Attorney-General announces new Justice Reinvestment initiatives
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has announced another six initiatives as part of the Federal Government’s national justice reinvestment program.
The program is a long-term, community-led approach to preventing crime, improving community safety and reducing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people in contact with the justice system.
As part of the First Nations justice package, the Federal Government has committed $79 million to support up to 30 community-led justice reinvestment initiatives in First Nations communities across Australia.
Following an assessment process by an independent panel, the following initiatives have been selected:
- Kurdiji Aboriginal Corporation, Lajamanu, NT
- Healthy Dreaming Pty Ltd, Port Augusta, SA
- ATSI Corporation Family Prevention and Legal Service – Djirra, Melton, VIC
- Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation, Mossman, QLD
- Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council, Napranum, QLD
- Aboriginal Male’s Healing Centre, Newman, WA.
Appointments to the Administrative Review Tribunal
The Federal Government has recommended to Governor-General Sam Mostyn AC 43 new appointments to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) – the new federal administrative review body that will replace the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) from 14 October.
They comprise 18 senior members and 25 general members:
- Senior members:
- Sean Baker
- Katherine Bean
- Alison Bellamy
- Joanne Collins
- Dr Bridget Cullen
- Dr Denis Dragovic
- Phillip French
- Andrew George
- Marten Kennedy
- Giovanni Longo
- Chelsea Lyford
- Jane Marquard
- Alison Murphy
- Kim Parker
- Kira Raif
- Theodore Tavoularis
- Susan Trotter
- Simon Webb.
- General members:
- Michael Abood
- Naomi Bryant
- Robert Cameron
- John Cipolla
- David Cosgrave
- Angela Cranston
- Matthew Currie
- Susan De Bono
- Dr Jason Donnelly
- Tegen Downes
- Casey Dutkowski
- Shane Evans
- Katherine Harvey
- Edward Howard
- David James
- Li Luo
- Brygyda Maiden
- Paul Maishman
- Christopher Matthies
- Justin Meyer
- Mark O’Loughlin
- Justin Owen
- Wayne Pennell
- Mary Sheargold
- Susan Woodford.
Original Article published by James Day on PS News.
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