Top SA public servants Nick Reade, Chris McGowan, Tony Braxton-Smith and Leonie Muldoon axed by Malinauskas government

Premier Peter Malinauskas has sacked four of SA’s most senior public servants, including the bosses of his own department and SA Health. Find out who will replace them.

South Australia’s most senior bureaucrats, including the head of the Premier’s department and SA Health’s boss, have been axed in a Labor government bloodbath of top public servants.

Premier Peter Malinauskas on Friday sacked Nick Reade as the $637,271 Department of Premier and Cabinet chief executive and Dr Chris McGowan, the $586,290 health boss leading the state’s world-leading pandemic response.

The state’s two highest paid public servants were dismissed along with Department for Trade and Investment chief executive Leonie Muldoon, who earned $407,854 and the $499,213 Infrastructure and Transport head Tony Braxton-Smith.

But none of their replacements announced on Friday were women, forcing Mr Malinauskas to defend his commitment to gender equality after his landslide election win.

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Nick Reade has been dumped from his job running the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Chris McGowan has also been dumped, from his role as chief executive of SA Health. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

“When you make appointments such as these, just as South Australia’s make appointments to our parliament, you make judgments about who is best suited to take on these particular responsibilities,” he said.

“And that’s what I’m focused on delivering.”

He said new chief executive salary packages were being negotiated but he did not anticipate any would be taking a pay cut.

He also said no other chief executive roles were under review.

“Each and every person in these roles has worked incredibly hard in difficult circumstances, and I thank them for their service,” he said.

“There’s no part of me that finds it easy to tell people that their services are no longer required.”

A national recruitment search will be launched to find a replacement for Dr McGowan, who The Advertiser reported last week was facing the axe with two years left on his contract.

A panel will choose his replacement to lead the state’s biggest department but Mr Malinauskas will not sit on it but instead take its recommendations. It is expected to take several months.

Deputy chief executive Lynne Cowan, currently charged with ensuring the $7.85bn department meets performance indicators, is acting health boss.

She was the agency’s deputy chief executive overseeing with Labor’s disastrous Transforming Health agenda.

He dismissed as “absurd” claims SA Health was “rudderless” amid a global pandemic. Mr Reade, Dr McGowan and Ms Muldoon each served on the state’s Covid-19 transition committee.

Mr Reade, who was appointed to a five-year role last year, will be replaced by Damien Walker, a Queensland government Director-General for infrastructure, local government and planning after serving in several senior roles in SA.

But Mr Malinauskas, who consulted Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, said Mr Walker’s start-date would be delayed by his work overseeing flood reconstruction responses.

Other senior movements include the $530,000 chief executive of the Department of Treasury and Finance David Reynolds being appointed as the new chief executive of the Department of Trade and Investment.

Department of Education chief executive Rick Persse, who is on $522,375, will become the new Under-Treasurer.

The current chief executive of the SACE Board, Professor Martin Westwell, will take over as the chief executive of the Department of Education.

Senior Department of Infrastructure and Transport executive Jon Whelan will take over as the chief executive of the department.

The government says the total estimated cost of the payouts to former chief executives is $1.9m.

Gone … Tony Braxton-Smith. Picture: Mark Brake

Also gone … Leonie Muldoon

This data was released in 2021

Mr Reade said: “It has been an honour leading the South Australian public sector and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet during such an extraordinary time for the state.

“I’ve been inspired by the dedication of public servants across government and am confident the sector is in great shape to deliver on the new government’s agenda.”

Dr McGowan, who was sacked while in isolation because his partner has Covid, said he was “sanguine” about his dismissal but said it had been a “terrific journey”.

“I think we have achieved an awful lot... during a difficult time,” he said.

“I look forward to a well earned break. I had a terrific conversation with the Premier and he was very respectful.”

He said he would now look to take on various roles but not work full time.

Neither Mr Braxton-Smith nor Ms Muldoon commented.

Within days of winning government in 2018, the newly installed Liberal premier Steven Marshall sacked four high-paid state government executives, including SA’s top public servant, in a $2 million clean-out he said was critical to driving change.

Mr Malinauskas said the changes “are about new leadership that will drive substantial long-term change” and maximise opportunities to deliver better services.

“Each of these chief executives will bring their exceptional talent and experience to the task and I am confident they will help deliver my government’s agenda over the next four years,” he said.

“We have a significant agenda and no time to waste, so I am pleased we have been able to make these changes so quickly.”

He thanked the outgoing chief executives and wished them well “as they embark on their new paths”.

Originally published as Top SA public servants Nick Reade, Chris McGowan, Tony Braxton-Smith and Leonie Muldoon axed by Malinauskas government