In other appointments:
- ABC board members named
- UK health executive to lead Safer Care Victoria
- New NT anti-corruption head
The NSW government has appointed public policy expert Professor Roberta Ryan to act as an independent community commissioner for the Sydney Aerotropolis.
In her new role the former director of the UTS Institute of Public Policy and Governance and the UTS Centre for Local Government will help address the concerns of landowners affected by the Western Sydney development.
Planning and public spaces minister Rob Stokes says Professor Ryan, currently the inaugural Professor of Local Government at Newcastle University, will ensure the voice of the local community is heard.
“Building a new city is a long and incredibly complex process and while there will be enormous benefits to be shared, I realise that not everyone’s land was zoned the way they might have hoped,” Mr Stokes said.
Professor Ryan will also provide independent advice on planning, valuation and development; make recommendations about strategic land acquisitions; and connect landowners with government agencies and stakeholders.
“My role is to be an independent source of information and address landowners’ concerns about the impact of the land use changes,” Professor Ryan said.
“I look forward to providing prompt advice to the NSW government about how we can best support current landowners throughout this process.”
Fresh pastures for Christine Holgate
Controversial former Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate, who departed the government enterprise after a scandal over the gifting of luxury watches to senior executives, has taken a new role as CEO of rival parcels and logistics organisation Global Express.
The company, originally part of Toll Holdings, is in the process of being sold to private equity firm Allegro Funds.
Ms Holgate, who will lead the company’s transformation strategy, said she was honoured to be joining the team.
“In recent times Global Express has faced challenges and there is lots of hard work ahead of us. However, the combination of new funding, a focused local leadership team, a strong position in growing markets and the turnaround expertise of Allegro, will ensure the business is successful.”
Allegro Funds announced in April that it would acquire Toll Global Express from Japan Post and commit funding of $500 million to support the company’s long-term growth.
Toll Global Express employs more than 8,000 people in Australia and New Zealand and generates over A$3 billion in revenue.
ABC board appointments
The federal government has appointed former Seven executive Mario D’Orazio, Fiona Balfour and ex-Foxtel CEO Peter Tonagh to the ABC board as non-executive directors.
The trio will commence their five-year appointment immediately, filling vacancies created by the expiry last November of the terms of Kirstin Ferguson and Donny Walford, and the resignation of Dr Vanessa Guthrie on 19 March 2021.
Mr D’Orazio has extensive experience as a senior executive in Australian media including eight years as managing director at Channel 7 Perth.
Mr Tonagh has worked for News Corporation entities for nearly fourteen years and has been CEO of Foxtel, REA and News Corp Australia.
Ms Balfour has worked in the aviation, telecommunications, financial services and education sectors, including seven years with Airservices Australia.
NT ICAC Commissioner
Michael Riches has been appointed as the NT’s new Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC), following the upcoming retirement of Kenneth Fleming in July.
Mr Riches, formerly SA deputy ICAC Commissioner, was selected by an advisory panel which included Chief Executive Officer of the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet Jodie Ryan.
“Our Government established the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption to restore trust in our democracy and its institutions and I thank the advisory panel for their consideration of this important appointment,” Chief Minister Michael Gunner said.
“Mr Michael Riches has a deep understanding of public sector agencies, and has significant experience working in the ICAC establishment, as well as exceptional knowledge in the areas of corruption investigation, prevention and law enforcement.”
UK health executive to lead Safer Care Victoria
UK health executive Professor Michael Roberts has been appointed the new chief executive of Safer Care Victoria, the peak state authority for quality and safety improvement in healthcare.
Professor Roberts has more than 30 years’ experience as a senior executive leader, respiratory physician and academic.
Prior to his appointment he was managing director of the UCLPartners Academic Health Science System in London, and he has previously held senior appointments at the Royal College of Physicians, the National Institute for Health Research, and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London.
Health minister Martin Foley said Professor Roberts would bring insights into the challenges facing providers and educators in the health sector.
In his home country he transformed the UK national audit program for asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease, and embedded the use of real time data collection and reporting that underpins the national quality improvement program.
Professor Roberts is the second appointed CEO of Safer Care Victoria, replacing former inaugural CEO and current Department of Health Secretary, Euan Wallace.
He will begin in the new role in August.
New director at ISAAC regional council
Local government professional Dan Wagner has been appointed Isaac Regional Council’s new director of planning, environment and community services (PECS).
Mr Wagner replaces Jeff Stewart-Harris who is now serving Council as its new CEO following Gary Stevenson departure into phased retirement.
Mr Wagner has an extensive working history with the Isaac region, most recently as Council’s manager of liveability and sustainability.
He has a background in strategic and regional planning in both Queensland and NSW, community engagement, environmental planning and assessment, economic development, project facilitation and regulatory functions.
Mr Wagner joined Council in mid-2019 and was part of the team that helped deliver the new Isaac Regional Planning Scheme.
CBA exec appointed head of funding at TCorp
TCorp has appointed long-time Commonwealth Bank executive Rob Kenna to lead its funding & balance sheet team which is responsible for raising debt, primarily in the form of bonds, and managing the state’s balance sheet.
Simon Ling, general manager financial markets at TCorp, said Mr Kenna brings with him deep experience in financial markets and expertise in managing complex stakeholder relationships.
Prior to joining TCorp, Mr Kenna was head of programmatic funding at CBA and over a 20 year career with the bank held a number of leadership positions including head of debt capital markets origination and managing director debt markets.
ASBEC exec joins ACOR
The executive director of the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council has joined the Australian Council of Recycling as its new CEO.
Suzanne Toumbourou finishes up at the ASBEC at the end of June.
ASBEC President Professor Ken Maher said Ms Toumbourou has guided numerous projects and helped pave a cross-jurisdictional pathway for net zero buildings in Australia.
“I thank Suzanne for her enormous contribution to ASBEC’s work improving Australia’s current and future built environment, and am sure she will continue her wonderful contribution in her new role,” he said.
Ms Toumbourou said she was proud to have worked for ASBEC on a range of issues including securing cross government support for improved energy performance measures in Australia’s building code.
Former Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager at Standard Australia Alison Scotland will step in an interim executive director.
Truth-telling commissioners appointed
The Aboriginal-led Yoo-rrook Justice Commission has been established as Australia’s first truth-telling process in response to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Five Commissioners have been appointed with Wergaia/Wamba Wamba Elder Professor Eleanor Bourke as Chair. She is joined by Commissioners Wayne Atkinson, Sue-Anne Hunter,Professor Maggie Walter and former Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Kevin Bell.
The Commission has the powers of a Royal Commission to investigate contemporary and historical injustices against Aboriginal Victorians since colonisation and make recommendations for institutional and legal reform.
It will deliver an interim report to government by June 30 2022, and a final report by June 30 2024.
The commission is being funded $58 million by the state government.
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