Prime Minister announces new PM&C, Treasury secretaries
Steven Kennedy will become the nation's most senior public servant, while Treasury will get its first-ever female secretary in Jenny Wilkinson.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the new appointments in a speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday, where he thanked outgoing Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis.
Dr Kennedy, currently the Treasury secretary, will replace Professor Davis, while Finance secretary Jenny Wilkinson will return to Treasury to become its first female boss.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"These outstanding public servants will continue to excel in their service to our nation," Mr Albanese said.
"I am delighted that Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson accepted my invitations.
"I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Glyn Davis, the outgoing secretary, for his service and his contribution to our country."
The Prime Minister said the public service and government will spend the next three years "focused on delivering what Australians voted for on May the 3rd".
"And in the conversation about future economic reform, we should also remember what Australians voted against.
"Because Australians overwhelmingly rejected policies designed to drive down wages, undermine job security and take flexibility away from working families."
Both Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson had been considered frontrunners for the Prime Minister and Cabinet role, after Professor Davis announced he would step down in June.
Dr Kennedy was first appointed to lead Treasury in 2019 by the Morrison government, and reappointed by Treasurer Jim Chalmers for another five years in 2024.
He helped to lead Labor's overhaul of the stage three tax cuts ahead of the last federal election, and Dr Chalmers praised him in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm so grateful to Steven Kennedy for our very close and effective partnership over the past three years, for his friendship over a much longer period, for his service to my predecessor as well, and for the chance to work with him now in his new role," the Treasurer said.
"Australia was incredibly fortunate to have someone of Steven's calibre leading the Treasury, and is just as fortunate having him now lead the Australian Public Service."
Ms Wilkinson will depart from Finance as its third female secretary, to make history as the Treasury's first female leader.
She is an economist who served in senior Treasury roles before the Albanese government promoted her into the secretary pool in 2022.
"I am really excited by this opportunity to work even more closely with Jenny, whose contribution as the Secretary of the Department of Finance has been instrumental to our first four budgets and so much of the broader work of our government," Dr Chalmers said.
"Jenny is one of Australia's most distinguished and experienced economists and public servants and has served with distinction under governments of both political persuasions."
Treasury, the Reserve Bank and the Productivity Commission will now all be led by women.
Steven Kennedy will become the nation's most senior public servant, while Treasury will get its first-ever female secretary in Jenny Wilkinson.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the new appointments in a speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday, where he thanked outgoing Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis.
Dr Kennedy, currently the Treasury secretary, will replace Professor Davis, while Finance secretary Jenny Wilkinson will return to Treasury to become its first female boss.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"These outstanding public servants will continue to excel in their service to our nation," Mr Albanese said.
"I am delighted that Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson accepted my invitations.
"I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Glyn Davis, the outgoing secretary, for his service and his contribution to our country."
The Prime Minister said the public service and government will spend the next three years "focused on delivering what Australians voted for on May the 3rd".
"And in the conversation about future economic reform, we should also remember what Australians voted against.
"Because Australians overwhelmingly rejected policies designed to drive down wages, undermine job security and take flexibility away from working families."
Both Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson had been considered frontrunners for the Prime Minister and Cabinet role, after Professor Davis announced he would step down in June.
Dr Kennedy was first appointed to lead Treasury in 2019 by the Morrison government, and reappointed by Treasurer Jim Chalmers for another five years in 2024.
He helped to lead Labor's overhaul of the stage three tax cuts ahead of the last federal election, and Dr Chalmers praised him in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm so grateful to Steven Kennedy for our very close and effective partnership over the past three years, for his friendship over a much longer period, for his service to my predecessor as well, and for the chance to work with him now in his new role," the Treasurer said.
"Australia was incredibly fortunate to have someone of Steven's calibre leading the Treasury, and is just as fortunate having him now lead the Australian Public Service."
Ms Wilkinson will depart from Finance as its third female secretary, to make history as the Treasury's first female leader.
She is an economist who served in senior Treasury roles before the Albanese government promoted her into the secretary pool in 2022.
"I am really excited by this opportunity to work even more closely with Jenny, whose contribution as the Secretary of the Department of Finance has been instrumental to our first four budgets and so much of the broader work of our government," Dr Chalmers said.
"Jenny is one of Australia's most distinguished and experienced economists and public servants and has served with distinction under governments of both political persuasions."
Treasury, the Reserve Bank and the Productivity Commission will now all be led by women.
Steven Kennedy will become the nation's most senior public servant, while Treasury will get its first-ever female secretary in Jenny Wilkinson.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the new appointments in a speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday, where he thanked outgoing Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis.
Dr Kennedy, currently the Treasury secretary, will replace Professor Davis, while Finance secretary Jenny Wilkinson will return to Treasury to become its first female boss.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"These outstanding public servants will continue to excel in their service to our nation," Mr Albanese said.
"I am delighted that Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson accepted my invitations.
"I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Glyn Davis, the outgoing secretary, for his service and his contribution to our country."
The Prime Minister said the public service and government will spend the next three years "focused on delivering what Australians voted for on May the 3rd".
"And in the conversation about future economic reform, we should also remember what Australians voted against.
"Because Australians overwhelmingly rejected policies designed to drive down wages, undermine job security and take flexibility away from working families."
Both Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson had been considered frontrunners for the Prime Minister and Cabinet role, after Professor Davis announced he would step down in June.
Dr Kennedy was first appointed to lead Treasury in 2019 by the Morrison government, and reappointed by Treasurer Jim Chalmers for another five years in 2024.
He helped to lead Labor's overhaul of the stage three tax cuts ahead of the last federal election, and Dr Chalmers praised him in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm so grateful to Steven Kennedy for our very close and effective partnership over the past three years, for his friendship over a much longer period, for his service to my predecessor as well, and for the chance to work with him now in his new role," the Treasurer said.
"Australia was incredibly fortunate to have someone of Steven's calibre leading the Treasury, and is just as fortunate having him now lead the Australian Public Service."
Ms Wilkinson will depart from Finance as its third female secretary, to make history as the Treasury's first female leader.
She is an economist who served in senior Treasury roles before the Albanese government promoted her into the secretary pool in 2022.
"I am really excited by this opportunity to work even more closely with Jenny, whose contribution as the Secretary of the Department of Finance has been instrumental to our first four budgets and so much of the broader work of our government," Dr Chalmers said.
"Jenny is one of Australia's most distinguished and experienced economists and public servants and has served with distinction under governments of both political persuasions."
Treasury, the Reserve Bank and the Productivity Commission will now all be led by women.
Steven Kennedy will become the nation's most senior public servant, while Treasury will get its first-ever female secretary in Jenny Wilkinson.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the new appointments in a speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday, where he thanked outgoing Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis.
Dr Kennedy, currently the Treasury secretary, will replace Professor Davis, while Finance secretary Jenny Wilkinson will return to Treasury to become its first female boss.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"These outstanding public servants will continue to excel in their service to our nation," Mr Albanese said.
"I am delighted that Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson accepted my invitations.
"I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Glyn Davis, the outgoing secretary, for his service and his contribution to our country."
The Prime Minister said the public service and government will spend the next three years "focused on delivering what Australians voted for on May the 3rd".
"And in the conversation about future economic reform, we should also remember what Australians voted against.
"Because Australians overwhelmingly rejected policies designed to drive down wages, undermine job security and take flexibility away from working families."
Both Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson had been considered frontrunners for the Prime Minister and Cabinet role, after Professor Davis announced he would step down in June.
Dr Kennedy was first appointed to lead Treasury in 2019 by the Morrison government, and reappointed by Treasurer Jim Chalmers for another five years in 2024.
He helped to lead Labor's overhaul of the stage three tax cuts ahead of the last federal election, and Dr Chalmers praised him in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm so grateful to Steven Kennedy for our very close and effective partnership over the past three years, for his friendship over a much longer period, for his service to my predecessor as well, and for the chance to work with him now in his new role," the Treasurer said.
"Australia was incredibly fortunate to have someone of Steven's calibre leading the Treasury, and is just as fortunate having him now lead the Australian Public Service."
Ms Wilkinson will depart from Finance as its third female secretary, to make history as the Treasury's first female leader.
She is an economist who served in senior Treasury roles before the Albanese government promoted her into the secretary pool in 2022.
"I am really excited by this opportunity to work even more closely with Jenny, whose contribution as the Secretary of the Department of Finance has been instrumental to our first four budgets and so much of the broader work of our government," Dr Chalmers said.
"Jenny is one of Australia's most distinguished and experienced economists and public servants and has served with distinction under governments of both political persuasions."
Treasury, the Reserve Bank and the Productivity Commission will now all be led by women.
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