Movers & shakers: ex premier takes foreign posting

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The latest public sector appointments from across the country.

Senior Executive Service

Band 3

Jeremy Dean has been engaged as deputy chief executive officer, participant experience delivery, at the National Disability Insurance Agency. He previously worked at ANZ for eight years, Westpac for almost three years, and NAB for three.

Band 2

Cleola Anderiesz has been promoted to the role of executive director at Cancer Australia.

Margaret Tregurtha has moved from the Department of the Environment and Energy to a new role at IP Australia.

Cathy Rainsford, who was previously at the now defunct Department of Communications and the Arts, has been appointed general manager at the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Joanne Crooks has been appointed assistant commissioner at the Department of Home Affairs.

Band 1

Amanda Toms, Mardi Jarvis, Joanne Anderson, and Faye Murray have taken on unnamed senior roles at the Department of Defence.

Sonia Corsini and Adam O’Grady have been named assistant commissioners, risk and strategy, individuals, at the Australian Taxation Office.

Also at the ATO, Andrea Wood is assistant commissioner, technical leadership and advice – GST. Scott Walker is assistant commissioner, engagement and assurance – QLD operations and property and construction. Finally, Larissa Evans is assistant commissioner, fund services and engagement.

Leanne Fry has been engaged by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre in the role of national manager, innovation and technology solutions (chief information officer).

Julia Wells has been appointed as a branch manager at the Digital Transformation Agency.

Over at the NDIA, Fiona Cromarty has been engaged as a branch manager, partner strategy.

Foreign postings

Former NSW premier Barry O’Farrell has been named as Australia’s next high commissioner to India. O’Farrell led the state from 2011 to 2014, but was forced to resign after having misled the Independent Commission Against Corruption over a $3000 bottle of Grange. O’Farrell has since served as NSW special envoy for India and as deputy chairman of the Australia India Council. He replaces Harinder Sidhu, who has held the role since 2016.

Todd Mercer has been appointed ambassador to Chile. He will also be accredited to Ecuador. Mercer has previously served overseas as high commissioner to Brunei Darussalam and as deputy head of mission at the Australian Embassy in Chile. He replaces Robert Fergusson.

Jo Cowley is Australia’s next ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia, and will also be accredited to the Republic of the Marshall Islands. She replaces George Fraser. Cowley was most recently assistant secretary in the scholarships and alumni branch at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She has previously served overseas in New Zealand and Italy, and in Canberra.

Remo Moretta has been named ambassador to Mexico. He will also be accredited to Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Moretta was most recently DFAT’s assistant secretary in the Europe trade, UK and Ireland branch. He has previously served overseas as deputy head of mission, Australian High Commission, Wellington; counsellor, Australian Embassy, Washington; and first secretary, Australian Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization, Geneva. He takes over from Dr David Engel, who has advanced Australia’s interests in Mexico since 2015.

Bushfires royal commission

Former Federal Court judge Annabelle Bennett and leading environmental lawyer Andrew Macintosh have been appointed as commissioners to lead the royal commission into the recent bushfires which ravaged the country. They will join former Australian Defence Force chief Mark Binskin. The three commissioners are expected to deliver their findings to the federal government by the end of August.

NSW DPC

Gladys Berejiklian’s chief of staff has resigned to resume her public service career in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, in a deputy secretary role.

Sarah Cruickshank has previously held senior public servant roles in both the Commonwealth and NSW, but took a secondment from DPC to take on the role of chief of staff when Berejiklian became Premier in 2017. Neil Harley will replace Cruickshank as chief of staff.

Casey Council

Noelene Duff has been appointed interim administrator at the City of Casey Council for a period of 90 days. Duff will help restore good governance to the controversial council — which was sacked this week — until a panel of three permanent administrators is appointed, who will then run the council until the October 2024 elections.

Duff has engaged with the governance and management of large and complex organisations for more than 30 years. She recently completed 19 years as a chief executive officer, and has been a board member at IPAA Victoria.

Australia Council

Alice Nash has been named executive director of arts investment at the Australia Council, starting in April. She has worked as executive producer and co-CEO of Back to Back Theatre for the past 17 years.

Nash is a respected arts leader and strategic thinker with stakeholder management and collaboration experience across government, the corporate community and philanthropic sector. Most recently she served on the inaugural Creative State Advisory Board in Victoria.