Anthony Albanese takes broom to senior public service

The PM has axed Coalition-linked department chiefs under a sweeping shake-up of Australian Public Service mandarins.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Bridgewater, Tasmania, on Wednesday. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Anthony Albanese will appoint the next Chief of Defence Force in coming days, after axing ­the ­Coalition-linked department chiefs Simon Atkinson and Kathryn Campbell in a shake-up of Australian Public Service ­mandarins.

Vice-Admiral David Johnston, who accompanied Defence Minister Richard Marles to India this week, is being tipped to replace General Angus Campbell when his four-year term ends in July.

The Vice-Chief of the Defence Force, who was appointed to the role in mid-2018, would become the first naval officer to claim the highest-ranking position in the military brass since Admiral Chris Barrie, who retired in July 2002.

Out: Department of Infrastructure Secretary Simon Atkinson. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Some Defence sources, however, believe General Campbell, who is well-­regarded by Mr ­Marles, could ­potentially be offered a second term in the role.

The vice-CDF job could go to the Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, or Lieutenant General John Frewen, who led the Morrison government’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

Ahead of attending the NATO summit in Madrid next week, the Prime Minister on Wednesday appointed veteran diplomat Jan Adams, most recently ambassador to Japan, to replace Ms Campbell as Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary.

Australian Ambassador to Japan Jan Adams will become DFAT secretary. Picture: Adam Taylor

Former NSW and Victorian public servant Jim Betts, who earlier this year joined EY Port Jackson Partners, will replace Mr Atkinson at the Department of ­Infrastructure, Transport and Communications.

David Fredericks, a former senior adviser to Kim Beazley, Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong who was appointed to lead a super department under Scott Morrison, has been tapped to run the new Climate Change, Energy and Environment Department established under Mr Albanese’s sweeping APS machinery of government changes.

The departures of Mr Atkinson, a former chief-of-staff to ­Mathias Cormann, and Ms Campbell, who worked closely with Mr Morrison, was widely expected across APS ranks.

Mr Albanese thanked Mr ­Atkinson and Ms Campbell, who was appointed by Mr Morrison as DFAT secretary in July last year following the retirement of Frances Adamson, for their “services to the Australian Public Service over many years”.

“They have both brought great professionalism and deep experience to the range of roles they have held, and I wish them both the best. Ms Campbell will be taking up a senior appointment in the Defence portfolio in an AUKUS-related role,” he said.

Treasury deputy secretary Jenny Wilkinson will become Department of Finance secretary. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Albanese appointed former Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James, a former senior public servant and Deloitte partner, as Department of Employment and Workplace Relations secretary.

Treasury deputy secretary Jenny Wilkinson will become Department of Finance secretary when Rosemary Huxtable retires on August 9.

A new secretary of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources will be appointed in coming weeks.

Most of the five-year appointments signed off by cabinet on Tuesday will come into effect next month. From July 1, department secretaries will receive pay rises following last week’s Remuneration Tribunal determination.

The new secretaries will receive packages between $845,650 and $892,630.

Mr Albanese said Gordon de Brouwer would return to the APS as Public Sector Reform secretary working alongside public service commissioner Peter Woolcott to “lead and implement a wide range of public sector reforms which will support my commitment to place greater value on the public service and to grow its capability”.

Professor Brendan Murphy, Greg Moriarty and Michael Pezzullo will remain in their roles at Health, Defence and Home ­Affairs.