The Capital Water Cooler: Comings, goings, hearings and consultations

A breakdown of the latest appointments, public hearings and open consultations in the Australian Public Service and across the public sector.

APS Senior Executive Service

Band 1

The Department of Defence has made Nhi Nguyen its chief data officer, and promoted Nicholas Plowman and Catherine Bell to SES band 1.

Andrew Jones is now general manager for water and agriculture at the Bureau of Meteorology.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has appointed Emily Hill to work on affirmative measures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It has also made Jonathan Muir an assistant secretary.

Two new branch managers have joined the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA): Eliza Hazlett for co-design and Mark McKenzie for cyber security and resilience.

Rochelle Hurst is national manager for education and industry engagement and Samuel Goulder is chief information officer at the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has made Jonathan Khoo, Grace Kim, Simon Costello and Annette Kelly new program managers for its insight and statistics group, along with its data and statistical practices groups.

Marlowe Thompson and Phillip McAloon have been promoted to senior general counsel at the Australian Government Solicitor.

Band 2

The Department of Treasury now has Louise Rawlings as a first assistant secretary.

Other federal

Shorten announces retirement, will become the University of Canberra’s next vice-chancellor

Cabinet Minister and former Labor leader Bill Shorten is leaving politics to take up the post of vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra.

Standing next to Anthony Albanese in the Prime Minister’s Parliament House courtyard, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Minister announced he wouldn’t be seeking a seventh term as the Member for Maribyrnong.

But he will stay in office and on the government’s front bench until February next year.

Ellie Sweeney appointed CEO of NBN Co

The board of NBN Co has announced the appointment of Ellie Sweeney as its new chief executive officer (CEO).

The NBN Co board engaged an executive recruitment firm to undertake an extensive search and chair Kate McKenzie congratulated Ms Sweeney on her appointment.

First independent chief executive of Scyne

John Ball is the inaugural independent CEO of Scyne Advisory, a consulting firm that specialises in the public sector.

The appointment meets a key undertaking made to the Department of Finance to recruit an independent CEO to lead Scyne.

For the past decade, Mr Ball has led Google’s customer solutions business in Australia and New Zealand. Before this, he spent nearly two decades with Microsoft in multiple roles throughout Australia, South-East Asia, China and the US.

Richard Gwilym, who has been acting in the CEO role, will now focus on his substantive role as the advisory business leader.

New appointments to Export Finance Australia board

Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell has announced the appointments of Karina Kwan and Rahoul Chowdry as non-executive directors of the Export Finance Australia (EFA) board.

EFA supports Australian exporters and overseas investment, driving economic activity and creating jobs for Australians. It also provides financing for projects that support Australia’s economic resilience and security, and helps deepen our economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

In addition to the new postings, current EFA board deputy chair David Bennett has been reappointed for a further three years.

Mr Farrell also thanked outgoing non-executive director Jodie Baker for her work over the past six years, including as chair of EFA’s Board Audit and Risk Committee.

Three new members join ANZSOG’s board

The 10-member board of directors of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) now has Professor Sharon Pickering, Nicole Hurwood and Jasmina Joldic PSM among its ranks.

Professor Pickering was appointed vice-chancellor and president of Monash University in 2024.

She is a leading international scholar in criminology, with expertise on border crossings, migration and trafficking. Her work across criminology and higher education has attracted numerous awards, including an Australian Human Rights Commission Award, and in 2018, she was made a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Social Sciences.

Ms Hurwood began her role as NT Public Employment Commissioner in March 2024.

Her most recent roles include serving as the deputy chief executive officer of strategic and enabling services in the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities, and supporting NT Health’s system realignment through organisational redesign and change management.

Ms Joldic is an accomplished senior executive and policy expert who has worked in the government and university sectors and has advocated for equity throughout her career.

She has been Director-General of Queensland’s Department of Justice and Attorney-General since May 2023. This role follows her experience as Associate Director-General, Strategy, Policy and Reform in Queensland Health, in which she led the development of system-wide policy, including HealthQ32. She previously led critical functions contributing to Queensland’s successful COVID-19 response, for which she was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2022. She has also served in strategic leadership and policy roles across a range of Queensland and Commonwealth Government agencies.

ACT Public Service

Inaugural Chief Practitioner appointed to transform child and youth safety in ACT

Minister for Children, Youth and Family Services Rachel Stephen-Smith has announced the appointment of the first Chief Practitioner in the ACT’s child protection and youth justice services – Maria Kanellopoulos.

The Chief Practitioner will support best practice and help strengthen trust and transparency across a system that supports some of Canberra’s most vulnerable children, young people and families.

Ms Stephen-Smith said the Chief Practitioner would improve clinical decisions by strengthening processes within the child protection system to ensure they were as timely, fair and transparent as possible, with a focus on the best interests of children and young people.

The role aligns the ACT with contemporary standards in child protection and youth justice and is expected to pursue its national commitments, including the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and Safe and Supported – the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children.

Open for consultation

Draft Sustainable Ocean Plan

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is developing a Sustainable Ocean Plan for Australia. Its goal is to support the government as it meets the increasingly complex challenges facing the ocean, and the economy that relies on it, from now into the future. Consultation closes on 13 September.

NACC surveys public sector on corruption issues

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is calling on Commonwealth public sector staff to participate in Australia’s first Commonwealth Integrity Survey, which is open until 20 September.

The online survey asks Commonwealth public sector employees about 30 questions that focus on their knowledge, experiences and perceptions of integrity and corruption issues in their agencies.

The survey fills a gap in the Commonwealth public sector integrity landscape. Data exists on experiences of fraud and corruption by agencies, but the Commonwealth Integrity Survey focuses on the experiences and perceptions of staff members. This combined data will provide a more accurate picture of unreported corruption as well as integrity risks.

Template CLG constitution for ACNC

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) is reviewing its template constitution for public companies limited by guarantee, or CLGs. It aims to provide charities that are CLGs with a document that they can adapt for their own use when developing or modifying their constitution. Responses to the short survey will remain open until 23 September.

Maugean skate listing assessment

The Threatened Species Scientific Committee is seeking comments on the assessment of Zearaja maugeana (Maugean skate). Public consultation will be open until 26 September.

Space Heating Comparison Methodology

DCCEEW is consulting on a proposed technical methodology for comparing the energy performance of residential space heaters (named “the comparison methodology”).

The methodology is a technical foundation from which the energy performance of different space heaters can be compared. It identifies how to define and calculate the energy performance of different heater types on a consistent and fair basis. Feedback is welcome until 27 September.

National Safety and Quality Medical Imaging Standards

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care is undertaking a consultation on the National Safety and Quality Medical Imaging (NSQMI) Standards. These standards will replace the Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme Standards. Stage 1 of consultation is open until 27 September, with Stage 2 starting in October.

Ahpra drafts guidance on developing professional capabilities

The independently chaired Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Accreditation Committee invites you to give feedback on its draft guidance on developing professional capabilities. Professional capabilities are the knowledge, skills and professional attributes required for registration as a health practitioner in Australia. They describe the minimum requirements for safe and competent practice.

The committee has drafted this guidance to foster good practice in the development of professional capabilities across the 16 professions regulated by the national scheme. Public consultation on these draft principles is open until 18 October.

Gorgon gas development: Backfill fields offshore project proposal

Chevron Australia Pty Ltd is the operator of the Gorgon gas development, one of Australia’s largest natural gas projects, located off the northwest coast of Western Australia. A backfill field is a supply of natural gas that is required to maintain the throughput to an operating facility.

The intent of this backfill development is to maintain gas supply to the existing gas plants on Barrow Island to sustain current production rates of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and domestic gas. Public comment on the proposal is open until 1 November.

For information on all the state and territory government projects open for consultation, follow the links below:

• New South Wales
• Queensland
• Victoria
• South Australia
• Western Australia
• Tasmania
• Northern Territory
• Australian Capital Territory

Federal Parliament Public Hearings

Wednesday (11 September):

Inquiry into the Digital Transformation of Workplaces – Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training

Time: TBA; Chamber: House; Location: Committee Room 1R2, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Select Committee on Adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Time: 8-9 am; Chamber: Senate; Location: Committee Room 2S3, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Thursday (12 September):

Inquiry into Australian agriculture in Southeast Asian Markets – Standing Committee on Agriculture

Time: TBA; Chamber: House; Location: Committee Room 1R2, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Friday (13 September):

Inquiry into Australian agriculture in Southeast Asian Markets – Standing Committee on Agriculture

Time: TBA; Chamber: House; Location: Committee Room 1R4, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles – Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water

Time: 9 am – 12 pm; Chamber: House; Location: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Original Article published by James Day on PS News.