The SPEAKER (3:22 PM) —I am pleased to announce that Mr Alan Thompson has accepted an offer to take up the position of Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services. Mr Thompson has extensive leadership and policy experience at state, territory and national levels. He is currently the Secretary for the New Zealand Ministry of Transport and, in that role, he is overseeing major changes to the New Zealand land transport sector’s funding and organisational arrangements and developing a new transport strategy for New Zealand. He has served as secretary of three Victorian government departments—justice, conservation and natural resources, and housing and construction. Mr Thompson was also Chief Executive of the Australian Capital Territory Department of Urban Services from 1999 to 2004. In 2003 he was seconded to lead the Canberra bushfire recovery team.

Mr Thompson was selected in an open and transparent merit based process from a strong field. His employment will be for a period of five years, commencing in May 2008. He replaces former secretary Hilary Penfold QC, who has recently been appointed as a judge of the ACT Supreme Court. The Deputy Secretary of DPS, Mr David Kenny, will continue to act as secretary until Mr Thompson’s arrival.