James Copeman (left) has been appointed as Assistant Commissioner – East in the Department of Home Affairs. Matthew Filipowski has been appointed as the Operations and Logistics branch head in the DCCEEW. Photos: LinkedIn.
A breakdown of the latest appointments in the Australian Public Service and the wider public sector.
APS Senior Executive Service
Band 1
Rachael Byrnes has been appointed as Assistant Commissioner for Digital Client Interactions in the Australian Taxation Office.
Tom Savage is now Assistant Secretary of Enabling Services at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Greg Dowse has been appointed Commander, Illicit Tobacco & Vape Enforcement in the Department of Home Affairs.
Graeme Campbell has been appointed Commander, Customs Enforcement in the Department of Home Affairs.
Natasha O’Farrell has been appointed as Assistant Secretary/Commander – Immigration in the Department of Home Affairs.
Georgia Weichert has been appointed as general manager of Professional Services Review in the Department of Health.
Matthew Filipowski has been appointed as the Operations and Logistics branch head in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Band 2
John Swieringa has been appointed as First Assistant Secretary in the Department of the Treasury.
James Copeman has been named as Assistant Commissioner – East in the Department of Home Affairs.
Tim Kane has been appointed as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Pakistan. Dr Helen Cheney has been appointed as Australia’s next Ambassador to Portugal. Photos: DFAT.
Other federal appointments
Tim Kane has been appointed as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Pakistan, succeeding Neil Hawkins.
Mr Kane is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). He was most recently the director of DFAT’s Victoria State Office, and has previously served as Australia’s Ambassador to Brazil and Australia’s Ambassador to Chile. He has also had postings in Spain, the US and Mexico.
Dr Helen Cheney has been appointed as Australia’s next Ambassador to Portugal to replace Indra McCormick.
Dr Cheney is a career officer with DFAT and was most recently Australia’s High Commissioner to Nauru. She has also previously served in Thailand and Indonesia.
Greta Whyte has been appointed as Australia’s next Consul-General in Papeete, French Polynesia, taking over from Alison Shea.
Ms Whyte has served as Australia’s acting Consul-General in Papeete, has held various roles in the Middle East and Africa division, and before joining DFAT worked in senior leadership roles in the humanitarian sector in the Middle East, the UK, and the Pacific region.
Paul O’Sullivan has been reappointed as chair of Western Sydney Airport (WSA) Co Limited. Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said Mr O’Sullivan’s reappointment would provide continuity to the board as the airport moved from the construction phase to operations from mid-2026.
The Federal Government has appointed 13 members to the Implementation Advisory Group supporting Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan.
The group is made up of deaf and disabled artists and arts workers who bring a broad range of experience from across the arts, screen, digital games and cultural sectors.
The members are: Adrian Robertson, Ade Djajamihardja, Stephanie Dower, Catherine Dunn, Gia Hilditch, Debra Keenahan, Geoffrey Lim, Meg Riley, Elise Romaszko, Cara-Ann Simpson, Hannah Lee Tungate, Daniel Aylett (observer member), and Georgia Scott (observer member). The members represent every state and territory and include a mix of emerging leaders, established professionals, experienced advocates and agents for change to ensure people with disability are a core part of implementing, monitoring and evaluating the key activities bringing Equity plan to life.
Paul O’Sullivan has been reappointed as the chair of Western Sydney Airport. Greta Whyte has been appointed as Australia’s next Consul-General in Papeete, French Polynesia. Photos: WSA and DFAT.
Original Article published by Andrew McLaughlin on PS News.
