In other news:
- Former disability CEO to lead NSWTG
- New government head at cyber security consultants
APRA Chair Wayne Byres will step down from his position with the prudential regulator from October 30.
Mr Byres second five-year term with APRA wasn’t set to end until July 2024, but on Tuesday he said in a statement that he felt “now is a good time to hand over the Chair’s role to someone new, who will lead the organisation on the next stage of its journey”.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers thanked Mr Byres for his contribution to APRA saying he had made a significant contribution to Australia’s financial system and the global prudential regulation framework.
Mr Byres has been with APRA since its establishment in 1998 and has held a range of senior executive positions across policy and supervisory divisions. He was Secretary General of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision before being appointed APRA Chair on 1 July, 2014.
Mr Chalmers said Mr Byre’s leadership had positioned the Commonwealth to respond well to some of the greatest challenges in Australia’s history, including keeping the financial system stable throughout covid.
“Under Mr Byres’ leadership, APRA’s public profile has been strengthened through his commitment to transparency and communication – important in underpinning public trust in the security of Australia’s financial system,” Mr Chalmers said.
The government is in the process of selecting the next APRA Chair.
NSW building commissioner hands in resignation
NSW building Commissioner David Chandler notified the government he will be resigning on November 30 this year.
Read the full story here.
Mr Chandler was appointed by former Premier Gladys Berejiklian three years ago to improve the construction industry.
In a joint media statement with Custormer Service secretary Emma Hogan, Mr Chandler said it was time for a “reset”.
“I believe the time is right for a reset and I am firmly committed to working with the secretary, the team and industry until the end of my tenure,” Mr Chandler said.
“I do not want my resignation to distract people from what has been achieved so far, and the work that is still to be done.”
Urbantaskforce CEO Tom Forrest said Mr Chandler had won the respect of the property construction and development sector and his departure was a “massive loss” for the state’s construction industry.
Mr Forrest said Mr Chandler had reversed the focus of the inspectorate of the Department of Fair Trading.
“Rather than focussing 90 per cent of their time trying to fix problems after they have been occupied, David Chandler has overseen a transformation which now sees 90 per cent of the inspection effort focussed on major defects prior to the occupation of the building,” he said.
Controversial disability head appointed new CEO of NSW Trustee and Guardian
Former Sunnyfield DisAbility CEO Caroline Cuddihy has been appointed to lead NSWTG, the statutory authority responsible for providing financial management services for people with disabilities and independent executor, administrator and trustee services across NSW.
Ms Cuddihy announced her departure from Sunnyfield last month after her actions as CEO was questioned by the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
Sunnyfield was the subject of a report published by the royal commission on April 5 which found the provider’s policies and practices failed to protect residents at one of its group homes against violence and abuse by support workers.
The report said Ms Cuddihy, who gave evidence during hearings in May and September 2021, “frequently gave the impression in her oral evidence that she was reluctant to accept that Sunnyfield bore significant responsibility for the abuse and dysfunction that took place at the House”.
She also “gave the impression on a number of occasions that she was reconstructing events in a manner designed to lessen Sunnyfield’s and, to an extent, her own responsibility for the events at the House,” the commissioners found.
Attorney General Mark Speakman said Ms Cuddihy brought extensive leadership experience in the disability, aged care and corporate sectors to the role.
“Ms Cuddihy is an experienced senior executive, with a demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of, and advocating for, disadvantaged and vulnerable people,” Mr Speakman said.
She takes up the appointment on August 1.
New managing partner at Tesserent Federal
George Katavic has been appointment managing partner of cybersecurity company Tesserent’s federal government division.
Tesserent has also signalled its intention to deliver additional cyber capabilities to federal government clients in 2023 as part of the expansion of its Cyber360 strategy.
Mr Katavic has spent the past four years as the Managing Director of Tesserent North and was previously Managing Partner and Regional General Manager of DXC Consulting and with CSC Consulting in Canberra.
He said he was looking forward to growing federal government clients in enhanced cyber risk management, with a focus on providing consultation services across governance, risk, compliance and the Essential 8.
Tesserent CEO Kurt Hansen said Mr Katavic would be a key foundation to the company’s grown in government contracts.
“Mr Katavic will play a pivotal strategic role in expanding our cybersecurity services in Canberra and will be integral to helping Federal Government departments and agencies strengthen and bolster Australia’s cybersecurity defences. The threat landscape is forever shifting and there has never been more focus on the importance of cybersecurity and investment in building our sovereign cyber defences,” he said.
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