Movers & Shakers: NSW’s first chief behaviour advisor named

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The latest senior public sector appointments from across the country.

Senior Executive Service

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At Defence, Hugh Jeffrey was promoted to deputy secretary strategy, policy & industry.

Kylie Crane moved from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to take up the role of deputy secretary at the Department of Education.

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At the ATO, Karen Foat was promoted to deputy commissioner, Australian business registry services & deputy registrar.

Greta Doherty was promoted to group manager — women’s safety at the Department of Social Services.

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At the Department of Home Affairs, John Taylor was promoted to commander and Shan-Belinda Strugnell was promoted to assistant secretary regional.

Warren Hauck was promoted to assistant secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

At the Australian Taxation Office, Suzanne Emery was promoted to assistant commissioner, private equity.

First NSW chief behaviour advisor

Emeritus Professor Donna Cross has been announced by the NSW government as its first chief behaviour advisor.

The role will report to the education minister’s School Advisory Council, with Cross responsible for implementing best-practice behaviour and inclusion in education.

Cross was awarded a medal of the Order of Australia in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours List and was the Western Australia state recipient of Australian of the Year 2012 for her work in children’s advocacy.

NSW education minister Sarah Mitchell described Cross as a “leader in the field of children’s mental health”.

“[Cross] brings with her decades of experience in education, public health and research, having worked with governments at a state, local and international level, including with the UN,” Mitchell said.

“Her appointment as a specialist advisor on student behaviour is a proactive and necessary step in addressing existing, as well as new and emerging, issues in our schools.

“These are complex issues that school and broader communities are dealing with, and while we need a whole-of-community approach, school can be a starting place to support engaged and healthy young people.”

Cross said she had been committed to improving children’s health, behavioural development and learning outcomes throughout her career thus far.

“There are many ongoing and emerging behavioural challenges for students — especially as they grow up in a digital world,” Professor Cross said.

“We need to use the best quality evidence to ensure we are at the forefront of actions to equip our students, their schools and families with the skills and tools to optimize their life outcomes.”

Cross’ two-year term starts on 27 March 2023.

Two former mandarins to lead NHRA review

Former Finance secretary Rosemary Huxtable and former director-general of Queensland Health Michael Walsh will lead a mid-term review of the National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA) Addendum 2020-25.

Health ministers across the jurisdictions appointed the two to lead the review, according to a communique.

“The independent reviewers provided advice on the approach to the commencement of stakeholder consultations for the mid-term review, which was agreed by the Health Ministers,” the communique said.

“The review will complement other work between Health Ministers to make it easier for Australians to access healthcare and to relieve pressure on our public hospitals.”

Expression of interest open for RBA board

Expressions of interest for a vacancy on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s board have opened, according to the APS Jobs website.

The RBA is looking for candidates with knowledge of economics, labour markets, financial markets, industry or public policy formulation.

Having strong communication and strategic thinking skills are also a preference.

The closing date for applications is March 8.

As The Mandarin’s Julian Bajkowski speculates, David Thodey could be a potential candidate.

Read The Mandarin’s full coverage here.

Queensland reconciliation taskforce extended

The Truth, Healing and Reconciliation Taskforce in Queensland has been extended until the end of 2023.

The government said the extension is due to COVID-19 impacting the taskforce’s ability to engage with members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The taskforce is tasked with informing the government’s implementation of recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, focusing on people with lived experience.

Former police commissioner Bob Atkinson is leading the taskforce, with nine members, including two new members Teena Ingram and Patricia Thompson.

Queensland children minister Leanne Linnard acknowledged the taskforce was due to complete its work at the end of 2022.

“The extension to 31 December 2023 will allow the Taskforce to continue the ‘Listening Tour’ and engagement and consultation with key cohorts impacted by child sexual abuse.

“This will include young people who have been in out-of-home care and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” the minister said.

“I’d like to thank Bob and the current members for their outstanding work in ensuring those with lived experience are heard and I welcome the new members Teena and Pat.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the work of the two retiring members Carly Jacobitz and Yvette Salam and wish them well.”

Atkinson said he was pleased the Taskforce would continue its work in 2023.

“The Taskforce provides an important avenue for people to share their experiences, and for people with lived experience to communicate their thoughts on improving service delivery,” the former commissioner said.

NT Liquor Commission members

The Northern Territory Liquor Commission has appointed a new chair and deputy chair.

They are chair Russell Goldflam and deputy chair Jodi Truman, with Goldflam replacing retiring chair Richard Coates.

The two new members are Rachael Shanahan and Denys Stedman.

The rest of the commission’s members are Phillip Carson, Elizabeth Stephenson, Bernard Dwyer, Katrina Fong Lim, and Sean Taylor.

NT chief minister and alcohol policy minister Natasha Fyles said her government was leading the world in alcohol reforms.

“Members for the Liquor Commission have years of experience in the health, legal and business space,” Fyles said.

“Chaired by Russell Goldflam and Jodi Truman respectively, the board will have independent decision-making powers about liquor licences, and hearing determinations.

“I thank Mr Richard Coates and the members of the previous Liquor Commission for taking the time to contribute to the Territory.”

Former Red Cross CEO named NSW net zero chair

Judith Slatyer was appointed as the chair of the NSW Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board, replacing Kerry Schott.

Slatyer’s prior roles include time as the CEO of the Red Cross, Global COO of WWF, and CEO of Lonely Planet.

John Lydon was also added to the board, as an economic commissioner at Greater Cities Commission.

NSW energy minister Matt Kean said the board will continue to advise the state government on its climate policy.

“Judith Slatyer and John Lydon bring passion and a wealth of experience to the new roles, which will be invaluable for NSW to continue to lead the nation on climate action,” Kean said.

Infrastructure Australia in for an overhaul

Infrastructure minister Catherine King has announced sweeping reforms to Infrastructure Australia.

Speaking at the National Press Club, the minister said three commissioners will be appointed to the body.

“Over recent years, [Infrastructure Australia] has tried to do too many things and ended up being sidelined by a government that, frankly, wasn’t interested in its advice,” King said.

“Guided by the advice of Nicole Lockwood and Mike Mrdak, our changes will put in place a stronger, more focused Infrastructure Australia.”

“When you boil it down, we are remaking Infrastructure Australia to ensure we make better decisions,” she said.

Read The Mandarin’s full coverage here.

New Victorian Youth Congress Members

Twenty young Victorians were appointed to the 2023 Victorian Congress.

The congress is an advisory body to the state government, involved in areas such as the Victorian Youth Strategy.

Youth Congress member Nathaniel Diong expressed his support.

“As a young person it’s so easy to think that we’re not good enough, smart enough or innovative enough to change the world,” Diong said.

“But the truth is young people have endless creativity, energy and the resilience to turn simple ideas into companies that change the world.”

Walter Abhayaratna to lead Canberra Health cluster work

Consultant cardiologist Professor Walter Abhayaratna was named cluster lead of the Southern Cluster for Canberra Health’s delivery of an expansion of clinical trial support in remote parts of NSW.

ACT health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said her government was looking forward to working with NSW and federal colleagues to improve healthcare for rural communities.

“This program has clear benefits for patients in rural and regional communities but will also allow the ACT to contribute to important medical breakthroughs,” Stephen-Smith said.

Abhayaratna expressed enthusiasm for the pilot program.

“It is exciting for the ACT Health Directorate, Canberra Health Services and NSW Health to collaborate to bring clinical trials to the bush, and to a population who would otherwise miss out from cutting-edge treatments that are potentially lifesaving,” Abhayaratna said.

Read The Mandarin’s full coverage here.

Australian judge nominated for International Court of Justice re-election

The first Australian woman to be elected to the International Court of Justice has been nominated for re-election.

Judge Hilary Charlesworth was nominated by the Australian National Group.

The government has welcomed her nomination.

The election will take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York later this year.

State and federal bureaucrats part of HVNLRISC

Four bureaucrats, covering both federal and state jurisdictions, form the Heavy Vehicle National Law Reform Implementation Steering Committee.

The committee is overseeing both legislative and non-legislative reforms to the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) following a meeting by the transport ministers in September 2022.

The committee is chaired by federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts secretary Jim Betts.

The other three committee members are Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads director-general Neil Scales, Transport for NSW secretary Rob Sharp, and Tasmanian Department of State Growth deputy secretary Gary Swain.

There are two advisors: Ken Kanofski and The Australian Local Government Association, represented by CEO Matt Pinnegar.