Speaker Profiles

Peter Shergold was a CEO in the Australian Public Service for two decades. For five years from February 2003, Dr Shergold was Australia's most senior public administrator, serving as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Dr Shergold is now the Macquarie Group Foundation Professor at the Centre for Social Impact.

Dr Shergold has significant Board experience in the public, private and 'third' sectors. In government he served on the Board of CSIRO and Centrelink and is now Chair of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research. Since leaving the Australian Public Service he has become a non-executive Director of AMP Ltd (a listed company), Corrs Chambers Westgarth (non-listed) and is the Chairperson of a small venture capital start-up, QuintessenceLabs. He is also actively involved in the non-profit sector and is Chair of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and a Director of the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence and the Sir John Monash Foundation.

Peter Hughes is the Deputy Secretary for the Policy and Management group. He has extensive experience in the work of the immigration portfolio, across a range of issues including migration, refugees, settlement, citizenship and multicultural affairs.

Peter has implemented immigration and refugee resettlement programs with the department in Asia and Europe and has been closely involved in Australia's international engagement on people movement and protection issues in global multilateral forums, regionally and bilaterally.

Before August 2006, he was head of the department's Refugee, Humanitarian and International Division, which includes responsibility for Australia's offshore refugee resettlement program.

Peter has an Honours degree in history from the University of Queensland. He was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2005 for contributions to Australian citizenship, multicultural harmony and the settlement of refugees.

Peter is married with two sons.

Mr Slatyer is a First Assistant Secretary in the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. He heads the Water Reform Division of the Department.

Before holding this position, Mr Slatyer held a number of senior executive positions in the Australian Government, with environment, transport and regional development policy responsibilities. Mr Slatyer has also held the positions of Executive Director of the Australian Government Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics, and Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum based in Fiji.

Mr Slatyer holds degrees in Law and Arts from the Australian National University.

Nicholas Gruen is trained in History, Statistics, Law and Economics and has published internationally on a range of economic policy issues including intellectual property, fiscal policy architecture, industry policy, economic liberalisation and innovation in government.

He served as advisor to Industry Minister Senator John Button and Treasurer John Dawkins. He was appointed to the Productivity Commission in 1994 and again in 1995 before he joined the Business Council of Australia in 1997 and ran their New Directions program. In 2000, he founded and remains CEO of Lateral Economics and Peaches, a discount finance broker.

He is chairman of www.onlineopinion.com.au, a popular Brisbane based internet site of political and cultural opinion and is a board member of the Government Authority Sustainability Victoria.

He has been a regular columnist for the Australian Financial Review and is a substantial contributor to Australia's thriving policy blog scene at www.clubtroppo.com.au.

Dr Gruen was a member of the Panel reviewing Australia's Innovation System chaired by Terry Cutler. Lateral Economics has been involved with the Commonwealth, Victorian, South Australian, NSW and Queensland governments in the areas of innovation in government and continuous improvement in regulation. He was recently part of a steering committee guiding innovation in the Victoria Public Service.

Dr Gruen has recently been appointed to chair the Federal Government's Government 2.0 Taskforce and is also involved in the Federal Government's Management Advisory Committee inquiry into public sector innovation.

Sean Innis is Group Manager of Social Policy Group in FaHCSIA.

Prior to joining FaHCSIA in late 2005, Sean held senior executive positions in industry, environment and social policy areas of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C).

While in PM&C, Sean chaired the 2005 Welfare to Work Taskforce and led the cross-portfolio team that prepared the 2004 Energy White Paper: Securing Australia's Energy Future.

Sean joined the public service as a graduate in the Bureau of Industry Economics.

Sean has been a bad university tutor and even worse bank teller.

Penny Armytage has been the Secretary of the Victorian Department of Justice since 2003. The justice portfolio is diverse and incorporates six ministerial portfolios - Attorney-General; Police & Emergency Services; Corrections; Consumer Affairs; Racing; and Gaming - concerned with the administration, reform and enforcement of the law, as well as with social regulation in areas such as problem gambling and liquor. The Department has a budget of $3.58 billion, including Victoria Police, and more than 6000 staff.

Before becoming Secretary, Ms Armytage worked as Executive Director, Operations at the Department of Human Services; and prior to that as the Commissioner for the Office of Correctional Services with responsibility for Victoria's correctional system.

Ms Armytage holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the Preston Institute of Technology and is a National Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia. She is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Renée Leon is the Deputy Secretary of the Strategic Policy and Coordination Group in the Attorney-General's Department, responsible for leading strategic policy development across the Department and assisting the agencies of the Attorney-General's portfolio to collaborate on high level policy. Renée also has the role of Chief Operating Officer, responsible for financial management and corporate services.

Grahame Cook is a Director of his own consulting company, which specialises in strategic and policy advice and capability development. Major clients include the Australian National Audit Office, The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Previously, Grahame enjoyed a long career in the Australian Public Service, including as a Deputy Secretary in the Departments of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and Education, Science and Training, and senior executive service positions in the departments of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Industry and Environment. He has worked in a diverse range of policy and program areas including education, science and innovation, industry policy, natural resource management, and micro-economic reform. Grahame has extensive experience in whole-of-government, cross-jurisdictional and taskforce work. He has represented Australia in a number of international forums. Grahame was awarded a Public Service Medal in 1997. He has a Bachelor of Economics degree from the Australian National University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and member of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Dr Jenny Donovan is the General Manager, Planning and Innovation in the NSW Department of Education and Training. In this role she heads a directorate responsible for research and evaluation, data collection and analysis, performance reporting and strategic planning. Previously, Jenny was the Deputy Director of Educational Assessment Australia, a not-for-profit research and assessment organisation attached to the University of New South Wales. Jenny began her career as a high school teacher in Sydney’s western suburbs, and has held many roles in both operational and policy arms of state public service.

Peter is a Deputy Australian Statistician at the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Peter is responsible for a diverse range of subject matter, including labour, demography, industry, agriculture, rural and regional and environment statistics. He is the Program Head for the Australian Population and Housing Census, with responsibility for the planning and delivery of the successful 2011 Census. Peter has an Economics Degree from the Australian National University and has worked at the ABS for almost 30 years. He also worked for three years at the International Monetary Fund on balance of payments issues.

He was a member of the Government 2.0 Taskforce in 2009; and is currently a member of the State of the Environment 2011 Committee; and, the Tourism Research and Development Advisory Board.

Peter is actively involved in international statistical issues, including chairing the United Nations Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting.

Maria began her career in the arts where she held a number of roles as a general manager, producer and arts management consultant. Deciding it was time for a career change, she became a bureaucrat and joined Arts Victoria where she was responsible for the Victorian Government's arts policy and industry development.

Maria is currently the Principal Adviser, Public Administration in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, leading projects that examine issues that shape and influence the Victorian public sector. Previously Maria was Executive Director of Public Policy and Organisation Reviews at the State Services Authority where she led reviews at the request of the Premier, Ministers and Secretaries. She has also held the role of Assistant Director, Social Policy in the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Maria has a Master of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and was named Lucius Littauer Fellow for academic achievement and commitment to public service. She is also a Fellow of Leadership Victoria.

Donna has worked in policy, communications, governance and operational roles in the NSW public sector for over 20 years.

The key aim of the Office of Corporate Governance and Policy is the development of a culture of continuous improvement across the Department of Planning and the planning system. This Office comprises Policy; Planning Systems and Reform; Community and Stakeholder Engagement; Sustainability; Governance; Strategic Business Development; Finance and Administration; and the Building Professionals Board.

Her broad experience has included roles in central agencies, transport and environment protection.

Before joining the Department of Planning last year, Donna was the Deputy Director General Strategy, Communication and Governance with the NSW Department of Community Services.

Alison McClelland is Executive Director, Strategic Policy, Research and Forecasting (SPRF) at the Department for Planning and Community Development (DPCD). She is responsible for the Department's central policy and research unit. Alison has previously held positions as Associate Professor and Head of School, Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University and Director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL), responsible for Social Action and Research

She has participated in numerous government advisory committees, has held several honorary positions with the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and was awarded the Centenary Medal for her contribution to social policy and social research in Australia.

Professor Scott Prasser is a professor of public policy at the Australian Catholic University. Scott has worked in senior public service advisory roles in State and Commonwealth Government departments as well as in Ministers' offices. Scott has held branch director positions in the Departments of Premier and Cabinet, State Development, Tourism, Small Business and Industry and Welfare Services. In these roles Scott was responsible for delivering programs to target groups that required properly developed marketing strategies to ensure program take up and minimise resistance and political controversy. Scott has also reviewed government programs and developed new policy proposals based around their ability to be implemented.

Michael Tennant is the Executive Director of the Performance and Delivery Office in the Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet.

The role of the Performance and Delivery Office is to support the Premier and Cabinet to drive delivery of government priorities and improved performance of public services. The Office oversights and monitors policy implementation and delivery arrangements across the Queensland Public Service.

Sheryle Moon is the Chief Operating Officer of TP3. She is an experienced businesswoman, author, and company director. Sheryle has a reputation as an astute leader and change agent.

She has held senior roles including Managing Partner at Accenture, VP for CSC, Australasian Director Manpower Services, CEO of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), and President Australia and New Zealand for ASX-listed Ross Human Directions. She was named 1999 Australian Business Woman of the Year.

Sheryle holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Masters of Management-Technology, as well as numerous post-graduate diplomas in leadership, education, HR and technology. Sheryle was admitted to the ANU Hall of Fame for her contributions to Business Prosperity and the IT Industry. She is also a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.