Justine Saunders APM
Deputy Secretary
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
![](https://anzsog.edu.au/app/uploads/2024/04/DS-Saunders-Bio.jpg)
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Directory update requestJustine joined DAFF from the Department of Home Affairs, where she performed a range of Deputy Secretary/Deputy Commissioner roles across the Department and Australian Border Force, through a period of significant change. These roles included responsibility for the full suite of corporate and assurance services as the Chief Operating Officer; steering high risk, complex and varied policy and enterprise strategy as lead of the COVID Border Measures Group; and responsibility for providing both high-level strategic direction across all ABF operational, regulatory and compliance activities, and delivering strategic capabilities to bring to affect the ABF’s operational outcomes.
Justine also acted in the role of Coordinator-General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency and led the establishment of the National Emergency Management Agency in 2022.
Prior to joining the Department of Home Affairs Justine contributed to our national safety and security efforts in senior roles across the Australian Federal Police (AFP) at a local, national and international level. These roles included Chief Police Officer of the ACT, and senior executive roles in counter terrorism and sensitive operations, strategic policy, enterprise strategy and governance, in addition to representing Australia’s interests as Australia’s Police Advisor at the UN Mission, New York.
Justine holds a Master of Leadership and Management, Bachelor of Social Science with Distinction and Graduate Certificate in Applied Management. Justine is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Justine is a patron and non-executive Director in the not-for-profit sector and on a customer owned mutual bank.