Meet Queensland’s new Directors-General after David Crisafulli reshuffle
They are some of the most powerful people in Queensland, but few outside the public service know the 19 people anointed as our next directors-general. We take a closer look at who’s who.
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They are some of the most powerful people in Queensland, but few outside the public service know the 19 bureaucrats anointed the state’s next directors-general.
After last month promising the “majority’’ would stay on if he were elected, Premier David Crisafulli has taken an axe to the state’s top mandarins with 10 going and some departments reorganised.
The new faces, plus some not-so-new, are a varied bunch.
From doctors to former school principals and one whose hero aunty was Queensland’s first female accountant, we take a closer look at who’s who in the Tower of Power’ in William St.
David Mackie
Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Acting, moving from Public Sector Commission)
An avid runner often spotted pounding the pavements of Brisbane, David Mackie has certainly hit the ground running in his new role.
Mr Mackie was seen leaving the Tower of Power at 6am this week after an all-nighter, only to return an hour later.
The well-respected Public Sector Commissioner and longtime chief executive has more than 33 years’ experience in the Queensland public sector.
He took over as commissioner in mid-2023, when he was given $18.6m by ex-premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to fix the culture of politicisation exposed in the Peter Coaldrake report.
But that was only the latest in a string of roles from justice administration and the courts, to liquor and gaming regulation, fair trading, corrective services, youth justice, child protection, domestic and family violence prevention and stints with the Human Rights Commission/Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland.
One of the more out-there roles was as Registrar-General in the Births, Deaths and Marriages office. He’s also been a Government Champion for Mossman Gorge, making him responsible for helping that far north Queensland indigenous community.
“The greatest thing I think I’ve learned in leadership is knocking down obstacles,’’ he said in one interview.
“As a leader, I think your main role is to support your people … try to give them a clear playing field to go and do their job the best they possibly can.
“You knock down the obstacles for them, you equip them with the tools that they need to actually deliver.’’
John Sosso
Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (new appointment)
John Sosso has been hired, or fired, by just about every government since the late 1980s and has been a member of both Young Labor and the Young Liberals.
Mr Sosso, who like his new boss Premier David Crisafulli has a sugar cane farmer for a grandfather, has had arguably the most colourful career of any of the latest crop of director-generals.
His criminal law work saw him rub shoulders with Fitzgerald era ‘Rat Pack’ members Terry Lewis and Glen Hallahan.
He helped reform Queensland’s notoriously puritanical censorship laws, was involved with the last of the Australian Constitutional Conventions and the legislation removing Supreme Court Justice Angelo Vasta because of corruption.
Mr Sosso’s varied career also saw him do a stint with the National Native Title Tribunal and another as internal ombudsman for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
His time under the Borbidge conservative government coincided with the “Dad’s Army’’ and “Hit List’’ controversies, ending with him being shown the door by the new Beattie Labor Government in 1998.
Dr David Rosengren
Queensland Health (new appointment)
Previously the department’s chief operating officer, Dr David Rosengren received a $352,000 golden hand shake despite resigning of his own accord in August last year.
Dr Rosengren started a new job in the public health system three weeks later amid a number of high-profile resignations in 2023.
Since then, he has worked as the executive of Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service.
A hugely experienced and capable administrator and emergency physician, the Gregory Terrace Old Boy and University of Queensland medical school graduate has developed a rare set of practical and management skills in the past two decades.
One of his passions has been value-based care and tackling unnecessary practices.
Over the years he has given his time to Lives Lived Well, which helps people struggling to come back from mental health, drug or alcohol challenges.
He has also served on the Sony foundation and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation.
Trish O’Callaghan
Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (Acting)
The daughter of a Filipino cleaner, Trish O’Callaghan recalls helping her mum clean toilets in the school holidays.
She also became a mum at 21, so life sure hasn’t been easy for Queensland’s new tourism supremo.
Despite her humble upbringing in the (now shuttered) uranium mining town of Mary Kathleen and then Mt Isa, she always dreamt of “flying around the world and doing business deals’’.
She was appointed to the Gold Coast’s top tourism job in the midst of the pandemic, aged just 38, but attributed growing up in “tough’’ Mt Isa and watching her hero mum overcome hardship to helping her get through that time.
“I grew up in a caravan and housing commission. Mum could speak very little English but she never gave up and always said to me education was going to be the key,” she revealed in an interview two years ago.
“I never shied away from bringing my son in as part of my work. He would come to board meetings, he’d be in my office.
“It’s been really good for him to see – but it hasn’t been easy.”
A two-time award winner (AFR Young Executive of the Year and AIM Young Manager of the Year), her 17-year career in tourism stretched from Mt Isa to Townsville and the Gold Coast.
After Premier David Crisafulli promised that tourism was so important to him it would be a stand-alone portfolio, Ms O’Callaghan instead will also have to get up to speed on the environment, science and innovation in a new super portfolio.
It’s a long way from studying a marketing and public relations degree at QUT back at the start of the new millennium, and an even longer way from her humble origins in Mt Isa.
Rachel Crossland
Queensland Treasury (Acting)
Ms Crossland cites one of her aunties, Queensland’s first chartered accountant and first female Game Fishing Association member, as a personal hero.
She said in a Women of Queensland Treasury interview that one of her biggest contributions was just to be present in a high-level job, as it was so important for women to see females they could look up to who managed to balance family with demanding jobs.
“I’m very vocal if I’m in a room and it’s all men. I’m not afraid to point that out and make the room feel awkward,’’ she said.
“We should feel awkward if there’s no adequate female representation when there are important conversations happening.’’
Appointed Deputy Under Treasurer early last year, she has an extensive background in policy development from Queensland to Ireland.
One of her key achievements was helping chart the state’s economic recovery response during lockdown.
She has led the Future Economy Taskforce in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, as well as strategy, economic and industry policy teams in Treasury, resources, energy and agriculture departments.
Last year she won a prestigious Sir James Wolfensohn Public Service Scholarship to Harvard University.
She is a member of the Gold Key Society, an invitation-only international collegiate honour society for high-achieving university students.
Sharon Schimming
Education (Acting)
Sharon Schimming is a veteran principal who has served in some of South East Queensland more disadvantaged primary schools, so she knows what it is like working on the frontline in education.
Her early career included stints at Northgate State School on Brisbane’s northside, Humpybong on the Redcliffe peninsula and Morayfield in Moreton City.
She rose up to executive level during a turbulent period several years ago when half a dozen senior education department bureaucrats left in a succession.
A former associate director-general for Early Childhood and State Schools, she has more than 30 years’ experience in the sector.
In that time she has held numerous leadership positions including regional director North Queensland.
Known for overseeing complex reforms within the department, she was instrumental in the Whole-of-Government Early Years Plan.
She has represented the Department of Education on a range of national and state consultations, internal and external boards, and government working parties.
Kathy Parton
Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism (Acting)
Kathy Parton has had a varied career spanning two decades, including three years with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority which was set up after the devastating 2010–2011 floods.
She also managed media for the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in the wake of the floods and Cyclone Yasi.
In 2016, Ms Parton made headlines when it was revealed Fraser Coast Regional Council had wrongly claimed the local government department, of which she was then acting director-general, had asked for phone records and data usage of councillors as part of an investigation.
More recently, she was involved with the former government’s Path to Treaty negotiations and
reforms for seniors, disability services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy.
A University of Queensland journalism graduate, she did her postgraduate studies in writing, editing and publishing.
Steve Koch
Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business (Acting)
A University of Queensland business graduate, Steve Koch has 20 years’ experience in designing and delivering economic development programs for government.
He has a strong background in vocational education and training, employment and small business.
A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, he has held executive roles in departments responsible for those sectors over the past eight years.
He has also served on a number of boards including Construction Skills Queensland.
In his most recent role he led the development of training infrastructure strategy and delivery, as well as program design and delivery for the department’s suite of employment, small business and training programs.
Graham Fraine
Natural Resources Mines, Manufacturing Regional and Rural Development (continuing, new department)
Graham Fraine’s skill set was so highly regarded that in 2018 he was awarded the Public Service Medal.
He has nearly three decades of experience working in public policy, program development and service delivery across state and local government.
Mr Fraine was known for his strategic leadership and an ability to inspire a strong sense of purpose.
Most recently, he was Director-General for the Department of State Development and
Infrastructure.
He has previously held a number of senior roles within the government including DG of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water and Deputy CEO at Queensland Treasury, plus senior positions with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
He has a degree in psychology from James Cook University and a doctorate from the Queensland University of Technology.
Belinda Drew
Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety (Acting)
A social worker and teaching graduate, Belinda Drew has had a long career focusing on how to help social enterprises raise money for their work.
It’s something she has called “making money and meaning come together’’.
She said in one interview that this was something which was far more developed in the United States and Britain, but in Australia it had been left to “organic’’ change with limited government input.
Part of her work was as CEO of Forresters Community Finance Ltd, a funds manager which worked to improve environmental and social outcomes.
Ms Drew’s skills have seen her take part in NDIS reviews, panel discussions and workshops in the social sector.
She was most recently Deputy Director-General for Women’s Safety, Victims and Community Support, Justice and Attorney-General.
She has also served as Deputy Director-General Communities in the former Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.
Her long career has included stints as CEO of the Community Services Industry Alliance.
She has been a member of Women of the World Australia and also served on many boards including the National Affordable Housing Consortium, Social Enterprise Finance Australia and the Queensland Government Portable Long Service Leave Scheme.
Brigita Cunnington
Justice (Acting)
A barrister by training, Brigita Cunnington was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2000 and for a time practised in native title law including at Crown Law.
Ms Cunnington has held multiple legal positions including as executive director of the Magistrates Courts Service and the head of the Queensland’s Coroner’s Court.
She was also involved with the 2022 parliamentary inquiry into the Crime and Misconduct Commission.
She has extensive experience in the justice portfolio working in various legal, policy and management roles.
Since 2006 she also worked in various roles in Queensland courts including as the director of the Courts Innovation Program.
Continuing directors-general
Peter McKay – Finance, Trade, Employment and Training
Paul Stewart – Corrective Services
Bob Gee – Youth Justice and Victim Support
Sally Stannard – Transport and Main Roads
Linda Dobe – Local Government, Water and Volunteers
Steve Smith – Queensland Fire Department
Mark Cridland – Housing and Public Works
Graeme Bolton – Primary Industries
Andrew Hopper – Sport, Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games
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