ANZSOG’s Board has been expanded to ensure that all of ANZSOG’s ten owner governments are represented with further appointments to ensure the Board retains diverse representation.
At the ANZSOG Annual General Meeting on 27 May, the Board re-elected Peter Woolcott AO, the Australian Public Service Commissioner, as Chair and appointed four other board members nominated by the First Ministers of each of the specific jurisdictions. These members, who have participated in the Board meeting as observers since the start of 2021 are:
Kathy Leigh (ACT) Head of Service and Director-General, ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate
Erma Ranieri (SA) South Australian Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
Jenny Gale (TAS) Head of State Service and Secretary, Tasmanian Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and
Sharyn O’Neill (WA) The Western Australian Public Sector Commissioner
The Northern Territory is currently represented on the Board as a rotational position previously available to non-foundation members of ANZSOG. Under the changed arrangements NT will assume permanent representation on the Board.
The other members of the Board are:
Mr Peter Woolcott AO (Chair): Australian Public Service Commissioner
Mr Peter Hughes CNZM: Te Tumu Whakarae mō Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commissioner – Head of Service, Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
Professor Ken Smith: CEO, ANZSOG
Professor Margaret Gardner AC: President and Vice-Chancellor, Monash University
Mr Jeremi Moule: Secretary for the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet
Ms Kathrina Lo: NSW Public Service Commissioner
Professor Girol Karacaoglu: Head of School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Ms Ann Sherry AO: Board member, ANZSOG
Ms Jodie Ryan: CEO, Department of the Chief Minister (NT)
Mr Robert Setter: Commission Chief Executive, Queensland Public Service Commission
Ms Belinda Clark QSO: Board member, ANZSOG
Professor Deborah Terry AO: Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of Queensland
Ms Erma Ranieri: Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, SA
Ms Kathy Leigh: Head of Service and Director-General | Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, ACT Government
Ms Jenny Gale: Head of State Service and Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Tasmania
Ms Sharyn O’Neill: WA Public Sector Commissioner
The AGM approved that the Board be expanded to a maximum of 18 directors, not only ensuring that each of ANZSOG’s 10 owner governments has a nominated member on the Board, but also providing the flexibility to appoint a further two independent Directors to ensure the Board retains its diversity of skills and expertise.
ANZSOG Dean and CEO Ken Smith said that the change recognised the importance of all ten of ANZSOG’s owner governments.
“In recent years we have expanded ANZSOG’s presence in Brisbane, Perth and Aotearoa-New Zealand to ensure that we reflect the diversity of our owner governments. Our education, thought leadership and research and advisory work is conducted across all ten jurisdictions, and our Board membership will now reflect this.”
Importantly, the change to the Board membership does not change the position outlined in ANZSOG’s constitution that major decisions are taken equally by government and education members. Equal voting rights for both parties remain in place and is consistent with the expanded membership.
The AGM also noted the publication of ANZSOG’s most recent Impact Snapshot ‘Adapting to Disrupted Times’ which covers some of our key activities from July-December 2020 and focuses on our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These include our Future public sector leaders series, shifting our National Regulators Community of Practice online, and the work done by some of our alumni to respond to the pandemic.
ANZSOG has also published the EMPA Annual Academic Governance Report, which was recently discussed by the Academic Board and provides an annual update on the main highlights, developments, and outcomes of the Executive Master of Public Administration’s delivery in the preceding academic year – including the successful shift to online delivery in 2020. The report serves as a public record of ANZSOG’s governance and quality assurance approach to managing and delivering the internationally recognised EMPA degree to emerging public sector leaders across Australia and Aotearoa-New Zealand.