29 July 2025

The Capital Water Cooler: Comings and goings in the public service

| By Andrew McLaughlin
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Combined images of a smiling woman and a man in a suit in front of flags

Monita Lal has been appointed as general manager in Services Australia. Nathanael Lee has been appointed as a branch manager in Safe Work Australia. Photos: LinkedIn.

A breakdown of the latest appointments in the Australian Public Service, the wider public sector, and in the ACT.

APS Senior Executive Service

Band 1

Vanessa Boyley has been appointed as Chief Governance Officer in Defence Housing Australia.

Vandana Singh and Cedric Ingra have been appointed as national managers in Services Australia.

Christopher Lim has been appointed as Assistant Secretary for Procurement, Contracts and Project Management in the Department of Parliamentary Services.

Nathanael Lee has been appointed as a branch manager in Safe Work Australia.

Band 2

Monita Lal has been appointed as general manager in Services Australia.

Tiali Goodchild has been appointed as First Assistant Secretary for Skilled and Temporary Visa and Capability in the Department of Home Affairs, effective from 31 July.

Other federal appointments

Deputy vice-chancellor of James Cook University Professor Martin Nakata has been appointed as the new chair of the Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group (IRG).

Damien Djerrkura and Alinta McGuire have been appointed to the board of the IRG, alongside returning members Troy Fraser, Nini Mills and Flora Warrior.

bespectacled man with a grey goatee

Professor Martin Nakata has been appointed as the new chair of the Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group (IRG). Photo: James Cook University.

ACT

Dr Arnagretta Hunter has been appointed as the new chair of the ACT Climate Change Council for a three-year term.

Other appointees to the council are Stephen Mudford, Madison Barancewicz, Dean Spaccavento, Professor Jacki Schirmer, Associate Professor Rebecca Colvin, Dr Rosemary McFarlane and Dr Heinz Schandl.

Original Article published by Andrew McLaughlin on PS News.

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