Rick Persse, Tammie Pribanic and Paul Martyn appointed South Australian public service chief executives

A new public sector chief to replace Queensland-bound Damien Walker has been unveiled – and a woman will head Treasury for the first time.

Treasury chief Rick Persse will become the state’s top public servant, replacing Queensland-bound Damien Walker, and his deputy Tammie Pribanic promoted to become the state’s first female Under Treasurer.

In a series of switches at the public service’s highest levels, veteran Energy and Mining Department chief Paul Heithersay will be replaced by former Queensland Energy and Climate chief Paul Martyn.

Mr Walker will depart as Premier and Cabinet Department chief on December 20, bound for the equivalent role under newly elected Liberal National Party Queensland Premier David Crisafulli.

Outgoing chief executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Damien Walker.

Newly appointed Department of the Premier and Cabinet chief executive Rick Persse. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Announcing the moves, Premier Peter Malinauskas said Mr Persse and Ms Pribanic would assume their new roles on December 20, having allowed sufficient time for a handover of the Under Treasurer’s role as Treasury and Finance Department chief.

Mr Persse was considered the leading internal candidate for the public service’s top job, having held the Under Treasurer role since being promoted from Education Department chief in April, 2022 – a month after the Malinauskas government was elected.

Likewise, Ms Pribanic was the leading candidate to replace Mr Persse if he were promoted to Premier and Cabinet chief executive.

The replacement of Dr Heithersay was unexpected – Premier Peter Malinauskas’s announcement says the government will “continue to call on” his “invaluable resource” as “one of the nation’s leading geologists” – but does not specify in which capacity.

Outgoing chief executive of Department of Energy and Mining Paul Heithersay. Picture: Alex Aleshin

Newly appointed Energy and Mining Department chief executive Paul Martyn at a Queensland estimates hearing in 2023. Picture David Clark

Mr Martyn held various senior roles in Queensland’s public service, including heading the Premier’s Covid-19 Response and Recovery Taskforce, along with the trade, investment and energy departments. He will start on December 9.

Mr Persse in January was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division for significant service to public administration and to the community of South Australia.

As well as heading the Education Department from 2016-22, he also was the Attorney-General’s Department chief executive from 2012-16.

Newly appointed Under Treasurer Tammie Pribanic. Source LinkedIn

Ms Pribanic has been Deputy Under Treasurer since April, 2022 and also was promoted from the Education Department, where she was chief operating officer, having previously held senior roles in Treasury and Finance from 2008 to 2021.

“I congratulate Mr Persse, Ms Pribanic and Mr Martyn on their appointments and look forward to the leadership, energy and innovation they will bring to their respective roles,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“All three new appointments bring a wealth of experience to their roles and will play an important role in delivering our significant policy agenda.”