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 ACT public service.

APS Senior Executive Service

Band 1

The Department of Health and Aged Care has promoted Kristopher Arnold to a position that is yet to be confirmed.

Anne Anastasi is the new general counsel at the Australian Digital Health Agency.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has made Christopher Worley executive manager of its spectrum planning and engineering branch.

Defence now has Juliet Spratt in a senior role within the Defence Digital Group.

Working in the financial sector, taxation and workplace relations branch of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is Shibani Iyer, an assistant secretary.

The Australian Government Solicitor has four new senior general counsels: Liam Boyle, Alexandra Schaefer, Brendan Watts and Dylan Bushnell.

Band 2

The Director of Public Prosecutions has appointed Roberta Devereaux and Eliza Amparo as deputy directors.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has made Nicole Ross (infrastructure) and Clare O’Reilly (specialist advice and services) executive general managers.

Other federal

Burney and O’Connor retirement plans trigger PM’s first Cabinet reshuffle

With the retirement announcements of Cabinet ministers Linda Burney and Brendan O’Connor, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been forced to reshuffle his front bench for the first time since winning office.

The changes are as follows:

• Minister for Home Affairs; Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Minister for Cyber Security; Minister for the Arts; Leader of the House – Tony Burke
• Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Minister for Small Business – Julie Collins
• Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations – Senator Murray Watt
• Minister for Housing; Minister for Homelessness – Clare O’Neil
• Minister for Indigenous Australians – Senator Malarndirri McCarthy
• Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery; Minister for International Development and the Pacific – Pat Conroy
• Minister for Skills and Training – Andrew Giles
• Minister for Cities; Minister for Emergency Management – Senator Jenny McAllister
• Assistant Minister for Immigration – Matt Thistlethwaite
• Assistant to the Prime Minister; Assistant Minister for the Public Service; Attorney-General – Patrick Gorman
• Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care; Indigenous Health – Ged Kearney
• Assistant Minister for Social Security; Ageing; Women – Kate Thwaites
• Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy – Josh Wilson
• Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs – Julian Hill
• Assistant Minister for Education; Regional Development; Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Senator Anthony Chisholm
• Assistant Minister for a Future Made in Australia; Trade – Senator Tim Ayres
• Special Envoy for Social Cohesion – Peter Khalil
• Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans’ Affairs and Northern Australia – Luke Gosling
• Special Envoy for Cyber Security and Digital Resilience – Andrew Charlton

Dr Philip Williams appointed as ACCC Commissioner

ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb has confirmed the appointment of Dr Philip Williams AM as Commissioner, who was initially proposed by Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers in April.

A distinguished scholar and a former professor of law and economics at the University of Melbourne, Dr Williams is also a former executive chair of Frontier Economics and has previously advised the ACCC and National Competition Council on competition and regulatory issues.

His five-year term at the ACCC began on 27 June.

Wendy Martin is the new Creative Futures Fund director

Former CEO of the WA Community Arts Network, Wendy Martin, is set to be the next director of the Creative Futures Fund.

The fund is an initiative of the Australian Government’s National Cultural Policy – Revive – referenced in the policy as “Works of Scale”.

Ms Martin brings more than two decades of leadership in the performing arts, including as Perth Festival artistic director and head of performance and dance programming at the Southbank Centre in London and the Sydney Opera House.

Scott Langford to head Housing Australia as CEO

The board of Housing Australia has confirmed the appointment of Scott Langford to replace outgoing CEO Nathan Dal Bon.

Housing Australia is the independent national housing agency. It works with the private sector, community housing providers and all levels of government to facilitate and deliver programs that help more Australians to access social and affordable housing or to buy a home.

Mr Langford is currently Group CEO of St George Community Housing, a Tier 1 Community Housing Provider managing more than 7000 dwellings providing homes for 11,500 Australians.

Barry Jackson to step down from managing director role at DHA

After being reappointed in May, Barry Jackson is set to step down from his role as managing director of Defence Housing Australia (DHA).

DHA provides housing and related services to members of the Australian Defence Force and their families.

Originally appointed in May 2019, Mr Jackson came to the role after being Deputy Secretary of Service Delivery Operations at the Department of Human Services. Before this, he held various senior executive roles in DFAT and the Department of Finance.

Andrea Gomes da Silva to advise Treasury and ACCC

The Federal Government has appointed independent expert Andrea Gomes da Silva as an adviser to Treasury and the ACCC.

Ms Gomes da Silva will support the agencies as they implement a new merger control system, of which draft legislation has been opened for public consultation until 13 August.

She brings extensive experience as a merger decision-maker and leader at the United Kingdom Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and as a competition lawyer. There she led the CMA’s merger functions during a period of significant change and expansion after the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Board appointments to Australian Renewable Energy Agency

Several key appointments have been made to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) board.

ARENA is now playing a key role in the Federal Government’s Future Made in Australia agenda, administering Hydrogen Headstart, Solar Sunshot, Battery Breakthrough and the Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund.

Justin Punch has been reappointed as chair for his third term, while Elizabeth O’Leary will continue in her role for a second term. Ruby Heard and Dr Dean Travers are joining as board members for the first time.

Ms Heard, the first Indigenous ARENA board member, is an electrical engineer and founding director of Alinga Energy Consulting. An experienced energy sector strategist, Dr Travers has worked across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia to develop conventional and renewable energy projects for ENGIE, formerly GDF Suez.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen thanked outgoing members Anna Matysek and John Hirjee, who each served two terms on the board.

National Transport Commission appointments

Minister Catherine King has confirmed Loretta Lynch and Michael Byrne as new members of the National Transport Commission.

Their appointments come after an agreement at the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers’ meeting, which brought together respective ministers from all the state and territory governments of Australia.

Ms Lynch has 30 years’ experience in the international and domestic rail, construction, resources and public transport industries. Mr Byrne has extensive experience in the infrastructure, global logistics, and supply chain sectors, as well as government and private sector board memberships.

Infrastructure and Transport Ministers also supported extending the appointment of South Australia’s Infrastructure and Transport chief executive, Jon Whelan, for a full term until 31 December, 2026.

New Hearing Australia board member

Loretta Di Mento is the new NSW-based member of Hearing Australia’s board for the next three years.

Hearing Australia provides services across the country to people experiencing hearing loss, including children and adults from First Nations communities.

Ms Di Mento is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand, and a registered company auditor.

Expert advisory group to help guide NDIA on co-design and improvements to NDIS

A new expert advisory group featuring some of Australia’s most respected early childhood experts will help shape improvements to the experience of children and their families in the NDIS.

The Children’s Expert Advisory Group will work with the National Disability Insurance Agency to co-design improvements to the NDIS for children and their families, including those arising from the NDIS Review recommendations accepted by the government.

Advisory group members include:

• Sylvana Mahmic – NDIS Independent Advisory Council
• Skye Kakoschke-Moore – Children and Young People with Disability Australia
• Yvonne Keane – Reimagine
• Samantha Page – Early Childhood Australia
• Gretchen Young – SNAICC National Voice for Our Children
• Jenny Karavolos – Australian Autism Alliance
• Morgan Fitpatrick – Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention Network
• Professor Sharon Goldfeld – Centre for Community Child Health
• Dr Tim Moore – Centre for Community Child Health
• Professor Valsamma Eapen – University of NSW
• Sebastian Langdon-Macmillan – Member Youth Steering Committee
• Ellen Gould – NDIS Independent Advisory Council Reference Group Member

Open for consultation

Improving crane licensing under the model WHS laws

Safe Work Australia is seeking feedback on six detailed proposals for changes that could be made to crane licensing to improve safety and ensure the licensing system keeps pace with changing work practices and technology. Submissions for the discussion paper are open until 31 July.

Review of the Foreign Arrangements Scheme

Rosemary Huxtable AO PSM is leading an independent review of Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Act 2020, which underpins the Foreign Arrangements Scheme.

The scheme was introduced to ensure that Australian governments at all levels and Australian public universities enter agreements with foreign countries that do not adversely affect Australia’s foreign relations and are not inconsistent with Australia’s foreign policy.

Public submissions are open until 2 August.

Eligibility requirements for tax practitioner registration

The Federal Government has released a consultation paper reviewing the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) registration requirements for tax practitioners, following revelations of the PwC scandal. The paper focuses on the education, qualification and experience requirements for new entrants and existing practitioners. Feedback from the public is open until 7 August.

Reforming mergers and acquisitions draft legislation

The Federal Government is calling for submissions on draft legislation reforming Australia’s merger approval system to make it faster, stronger, simpler, more targeted and transparent. The legislation will take effect at the beginning of 2026, subject to its passage through Parliament. Feedback is open until 13 August.

For information on all the territory government projects open for consultation, follow this link:

• Australian Capital Territory

Federal Parliament Public Hearings

Wednesday (31 July):

Inquiry into the importance of Antarctica to Australia’s national interests – Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories

Time: 1:45 – 3:45 pm; Chamber: Joint; Location: Sovereign Room, Hobart Function and Conference Centre, 1 Elizabeth Street Pier, Hobart, TAS.

Thursday (1 August):

Inquiry into the importance of Antarctica to Australia’s national interests – Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories

Time: 9 am – 1 pm; Chamber: Joint; Location: Sovereign Room, Hobart Function and Conference Centre, 1 Elizabeth Street Pier, Hobart, TAS.

Food and Beverage Manufacturing in Australia – House Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources

Time: 9:40 am – noon; Chamber: House; Location: Tasmania Parliament, Committee Room 1, 1 Salamanca Place, Hobart, TAS.

Friday (2 August):

Ethics and Professional Accountability: Structural Challenges in the Audit, Assurance and Consultancy Industry – Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services

Time: TBA; Chamber: Joint; Location: Main Committee Room, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Monday (5 August):

Waste Reduction and Recycling Policies – Environment and Communications References Committee

Time: TBA; Chamber: Senate; Location: 222 Russell Street, Melbourne, VIC.

Issues related to menopause and perimenopause – Community Affairs References Committee

Time: 10 am – 4 pm; Chamber: Senate; Location: Balcony Room, South Australian Parliament, Adelaide, SA.

Australian support for Ukraine – Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee

Time: TBA; Chamber: Senate; Location: Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Tuesday (6 August):

Education Services for Overseas Students Amendments (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024 [Provisions] – Education and Employment Legislation Committee

Time: TBA; Chamber: Senate; Location: Committee Room 2S3, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT.

Issues related to menopause and perimenopause – Community Affairs References Committee

Time: 10:15 am – 11:45 pm; Chamber: Senate; Location: Wattle Room, DoubleTree Hilton Perth Northbridge, Perth, WA.

Original Article published by James Day on PS News.