Questions surround why Andrew Hopper not made permanent CEO of NT Tourism Department

QUESTIONS are circling within the public service as to why the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport has only appointed an “acting” chief executive for the next six months.

Andrew Hopper with Tourism Minister Lauren Moss in late 2016

QUESTIONS are circling within the public service as to why the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport has only appointed an “acting” chief executive for the next six months.

Andrew Hopper, the former deputy chief executive of the department, has been appointed in the acting position for six months.

Commissioner for Public Employment Vicki Telfer confirmed to the NT News that Mr Hopper had been appointed to the role.

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Department of Tourism, Sport and Culture acting chief executive Andrew Hopper

“The recruitment process is complete,” she said.

“Andrew Hopper has been appointed as the Acting CEO for the Department of Tourism, Sport and Culture and Tourism NT for six months.”

She did not say why it was only an “acting” appointment.

Mr Hopper’s appointment to the position comes after a period of turmoil in the department which led to the abrupt resignation of former CEO Simonne Shepherd in February.

She left the role on March 20.

High-level sources within the public service believe Mr Hopper has only been appointed in the acting position because some view him as an outsider.

“It’s a strange appointment to make someone acting because Andrew has the respect of everyone he works with and he’s been doing some great things,” one source said.

“There are plenty of people in the public service who still like to throw stones so perhaps they’re testing him in the role for six months to see how he goes.”

Mr Hopper has been contacted for comment.

Most of the chief executives of departments in the Territory, including its most senior bureaucrat in the Chief Minister’s department, Jodie Ryan, are born and bred Territorians.

Another source told the NT News that Mr Hopper was seen as a “bit of an agitator and some in the public service don’t like that”.

“There’s no doubt there seems to be some questions marks on his ability to do the job for some reason or another,” they said.

“He’s not seen as old school Territorian so perhaps that’s one of the underlying issues. But he’s someone who likes to get s**t done.”

It is also believed the appointment is buying time until the August election with the Government understood to be considering splitting sport away from the tourism and culture department.

Mr Hopper first moved to the Territory in 2015 when he became the general manager of NT Major Events until March 2018.

He became deputy CEO of the Tourism, Sport and Culture department in August 2017 where he carried out both roles for seven months.