William Street shuffle: Rush to sign off key govt appointments
Bureaucrats have been promoted, vacancies filled in key positions, and Labor figures appointed to help oversee government-owned corporations.
There are doubts over the level of transparency applied to meetings between government officials and lobbyists paid by private companies. (Supplied)
The end of the financial year has prompted the Palaszczuk Government to sign off on a number of new appointments.
Paul Stewart has been promoted to Queensland Corrective Services Commissioner, having previously worked at the agency and also the Queensland Police Service. He replaces Peter Martin, who recently announced his retirement.
Dr John Chesterman has been appointed to the role of Queensland’s Public Advocate, replacing Mary Burgess, while government lawyer Shayna Smith will see her role as acting Public Guardian made permanent.
The government has also appointed union official Owen Doogan to the board of the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation, among other government-owned corporation appointments.
Former Labor treasurer Paul Lucas has added Energy Queensland to his directorships.
The appointments came after the government finalised the appointment of new directors-general in the Department of Resources (Mike Kaiser), Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (Graham Fraine) and Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport (John Lee).
With the health emergency this week extended in Queensland, the government will also have to find a new Chief Health Officer to replace Jeannette Young, who will become the next Governor in Queensland. Her deputy, Sonya Bennett, is also leaving to take up a key role in the federal Department of Health.
