TASMANIA’S TOP PUBLIC SERVANTS

Tasmania has weathered the pandemic better than most jurisdictions. While Premier Peter Gutwein has been praised for his leadership, he’s also credited the state’s public sector for its work. Our political leaders may be the ones who get the headlines, but many lesser-known figures play a key role in the future of our state. Here’s the Mercury’s list of the dozen most influential public servants

1. Peter Gutwein’s chief of staff, Andrew Finch.

A former high-ranking Education Department bureaucrat, Mr Finch is the Premier’s loyal and low-key right-hand man. Formerly Mr Gutwein’s chief of staff in Treasury, Mr Finch has followed the Treasurer into the top job, just in time for a baptism of fire during a trying 2020 for the state sector, and the long, hard days that came with it.

2. Health Department Secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks

The COVID-19 pandemic has required an extraordinary response from the state’s health system. The highly qualified former secretary of the Department of Justice made the move to health just in time to find herself on the frontline of the state’s biggest crisis in a generation, including an outbreak in the North West that shut two hospitals. That’s on top of the day-to-day running of the health system and preparing for the vaccine rollout.

3. Director of Public Health Mark Veitch

What is usually a somewhat low-key position has propelled Dr Veitch to the status of household name in Tasmania. Mr Gutwein noted recently he spent more time in the company of Dr Veitch in 2020 than he had with his wife as the pair charted the state’s course through the pandemic. In delivering advice to government that was invariably followed, Dr Veitch played a central role in Tasmania’s success at minimising the impact of COVID-19.

4. State Controllers Darren Hine/Scott Tilyard

The state’s two top police officers have shared the difficult role of State Controller during the pandemic. A state of emergency has existed in Tasmania since the early days of the pandemic, delivering sweeping powers over people’s everyday lives, including a key role in the enforcement of social distancing, home isolation, quarantine and controlling the state’s borders. Having effective control over who could and couldn’t enter the state during the pandemic came with a high degree of public scrutiny and commentary.

5. Head of the State Service/Department of Premier and Cabinet chief Jenny Gale

Another Education Department alumnus in a key senior job: as head of the State Service, Ms Gale sets the course for the state’s 15,000 public sector workers as well as being the head of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Ms Gale also worked as premier Will Hodgman’s deputy chief of staff and in the same role for Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff.

6. Treasury Secretary Tony Ferrall

Since March, the state has been dealt twin, interlinked crises: one of public heath and the other of the economy. Mr Ferrall has served as the Secretary of the Department of Treasury and Finance since 2013, helping Treasurer/ Premier Peter Gutwein hand down a series of budgets that helped put the state on a path to prosperity. Come the pandemic, the pair now get to do it all over again, a job made harder by the great uncertainty of making forecasts in unprecedented times.

7. Ombudsman Richard Connock

In a state that sometimes struggles with transparency and accountability, the office of Ombudsman comes to the fore. Mr Connock also holds the roles of Health Complaints Commissioner, Energy Ombudsman and Custodial Inspector. His recent report highlighting problems with Right to Information requests prompted immediate action from the Premier. Mr Connock will continue to play a key role as the government tries to shed its reputation for secrecy.

8. Department of State