A breakdown of the latest appointments in the Australian Public Service and across the Territory.
APS Senior Executive Service
Band 1
Matthew Haigh is the next assistant commissioner for electoral integrity and media at the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) now has Gemma Edgar as an assistant secretary.
Band 2
Stephen Sorbello is the next first assistant secretary at the Department of Finance.
Band 3
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has promoted Phillip Gould to deputy Australian statistician for the data and statistical practices group.
Other federal
Griggs to step down from Department of Social Services
Department of Social Services Secretary Ray Griggs is stepping down from his role and will retire by the end of the year.
He leaves after having embraced the task of cleaning the department following the tragedy of the Robodebt debacle and the fallout of the royal commission into the scheme.
In a wide-spanning career, Mr Griggs has been highly respected across the public service and political spectrums, and previously served as the Chief of Navy and Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force.
Department of Social Services Secretary Ray Griggs will retire this year. Photo: Wiki.
APSC launches three new professional streams
The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) has launched three new APS professional streams. The programs are APS procurement and contract management, evaluation and complex project management practices.
Australian Public Service Commissioner Dr Gordon de Brouwer has appointed six profession co-heads:
- Procurement and Contract Management
- Richard Windeyer (Department of Finance), Deputy Secretary Commercial Group
- Julia Pickworth (Department of Industry, Science and Resources), Deputy Secretary Industry and Commercialisation Group.
- Evaluation
- Dr Shane Johnson (Treasury), First Assistant Secretary Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy Division
- Pia Andrews (Department of Home Affairs), Chief Data Officer, Data and Economic Analysis Centre.
- Complex Project Management
- Chris Deeble (Department of Defence), Deputy Secretary Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group
- Dr Liz Develin (Department of Health and Aged Care), Deputy Secretary Primary and Community Care.
Government names commissioners to lead Infrastructure Australia
The Federal Government has appointed Tim Reardon, Clare Gardiner-Barnes and Dr Gillian Miles as the Commissioners of Infrastructure Australia for five-year terms.
Infrastructure Australia provides expert, independent advice to the Federal Government about priority infrastructure investments.
Mr Reardon was previously the Secretary of Transport for NSW as well as Secretary for NSW Premier and Cabinet. He will begin in the role of Chief Commissioner on 1 October, with Ms Gardiner-Barnes in the role until then.
She was a previous board member of Infrastructure Australia, undertook the review of the Infrastructure Investment Program, and has held roles at Infrastructure NSW and Transport for NSW. Ms Gardiner-Barnes’ term began on 15 July.
Dr Miles, who held roles as the CEO and Commissioner for the National Transport Commission and Head of Transport for Victoria, will begin on 8 October.
The Federal Government will separately establish a new advisory council to assist the commissioners.
A separate advisory council will be established to assist commissioners (from left) Tim Reardon, Clare Gardiner-Barnes and Dr Gillian Miles. Photos: LinkedIn, Roads Australia.
Large swathe of appointments by Attorney-General
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has made several appointments in the past week, most notably four inaugural Jurisdictional Area Leaders for the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
The Jurisdictional Area Leaders will be responsible for managing members and caseloads alongside decision-making functions. Mr Dreyfus said they would have important roles in ensuring tribunal operations were tailored to user needs, and identifying trends and emerging issues.
Deputy President Simone Burford as Jurisdictional Area Leader for Protection.
Ms Burford was first appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in 2017 and was promoted to Deputy President in July 2024.
Deputy President Kruna Dordevic as Jurisdictional Area Leader for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and for Social Security.
Ms Dordevic was appointed to the former Social Security Appeals Tribunal in 2006, becoming a member of the AAT from amalgamation in 2015, and was promoted to Deputy President in July 2024.
Deputy President Gina Lazanas as Jurisdictional Area Leader for Taxation and Business, the Veterans and Workers’ Compensation, and the General Jurisdictional Area.
Ms Lazanas has been a partner in several law firms, with a particular specialisation in tax and commercial cases. She was first appointed to the AAT in 2012 and was promoted to Deputy President in July 2024.
Deputy President Kathryn Millar as Jurisdictional Area Leader for Migration.
Ms Millar has served on several tribunals and panels, including the former Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Tribunal, the former Social Security Appeals Tribunal, and the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. She has been a member of the AAT since 2015 and was promoted to Deputy President in June 2024.
The Attorney-General consulted with Justice Emilios Kyrou AO on these appointments, who he intends to assign as the Jurisdictional Area Leader for Intelligence and Security.
Thirteen members have been appointed to the AAT, including 11 reappointments. These members who will transition to the ART when it begins on 14 October for the remainder of their terms are:
- Dr Adam Booker
- Neil Foster
- Jocelyn Green
- Michael Griffin AM
- Associate Professor Michael Horsburgh AM
- Peter Jensen
- Dr Michael Jones
- Elisa Kidston
- Dr Robert King
- Donna Lambden
- Dr Stephen Lewinsky
- Andrew Maryniak KC
- Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ormston (Rtd)
Twenty new general members have been appointed to the ART, with their terms beginning on or after its commencement. They are:
- Sheridan Aster
- Dr Nicolas Augoustinos
- Diana Benk
- Dr Max Bruce
- Rosalind Burke
- Mark Darian-Smith
- Kelvin Defranciscis
- Sandeep Dhillon
- Paul Favell
- Patrick Gardner
- Carolyn McAnally
- John McAteer
- Jillian Moir
- Myra Poon
- Felicity Rogers
- Justine Ross
- Warren Strange
- Tracey Summerfield
- Fraser Syme
- Emerita Professor Margaret Walter
New members join Competition Tribunal
The Federal Government has appointed Professor David Byrne, Associate Professor Katharine Kemp and Professor Flavio Menezes as part‑time members of the Australian Competition Tribunal for a five‑year period.
The tribunal is an independent statutory body with jurisdiction under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to hear a variety of applications, most notably reviews of determinations of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Treasurer.
Professor Byrne is a Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne. He undertakes empirical research in industrial organisation and behavioural economics, focusing on energy and resource markets.
Associate Professor Kemp is with the Faculty of Law and Justice at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney and leads the UNSW Public Interest Law and Tech Initiative. Her research focuses on competition, data privacy and consumer protection regulation.
Professor Menezes is a Professor of Economics at the University of Queensland (UQ) and chair of the Queensland Competition Authority. He was previously the president of the Economic Society of Australia (Queensland), a member of the Advisory Board of the Australian Government’s Deregulation Taskforce, head of the School of Economics at UQ and director of the Australian Centre of Regulatory Economics at the Australian National University.
Joining the Australian Competition Tribunal are (from left) Professor David Byrne, Professor Flavio Menezes and Associate Professor Katharine Kemp. Photos: UniMelb, UNSW, UQ.
ACT
IPAA ACT elects new council
The ACT branch of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) has elected its new council following its November AGM. The members are:
- Kelly Pearce, retired, former senior executive, Australian Government Department of Education
- Lisa Carmody, Deputy Director General, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, ACT Government
- David Mackay, Deputy Secretary for Regions, Cities, and Territories, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
- Tess Bishop GAICD, chief operating officer and Deputy Secretary Strategy, Enterprise and Engagement Group, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Chris Fechner, chief executive officer, Digital Transformation Agency
- Jason Duarte, Head of Public Sector, Westpac
- Leanne Blackley, chief operating officer, Comcare
- Diane Brown, Deputy Secretary, Revenue Group, Commonwealth Treasury
- Anna Faithfull, Deputy Secretary, Skills and Training Group, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
- Sophie Sharpe, Deputy Secretary, Department of Home Affairs
- Maree Bridger, Deputy Secretary, chief operating officer, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
- Jasna Blackwell, chief people officer, chief risk officer, First Assistant Secretary, People, Parliamentary and Communications Division, Australian Government Department of Education
- Chris Birrer, deputy chief executive officer, Payments & Integrity Group, Services Australia
- Jarrod Howard, Deputy chief executive officer, Customer Service Delivery, Services Australia
- Deborah Blackman, Associate Dean, Professor in Public Sector Management Strategy Public Service Research Group, UNSW Canberra
- Michael Peel, director, banks, Government and Education, Commonwealth Bank
- Sam Chard PSM GAICD, head of division Business Grants Hub, Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
Original Article published by James Day on PS News.
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