Long road that led to pandemic ‘deep end’

WHEN she was 14 and working at Myer in Queensland, Kathrine Morgan-Wicks had little idea that three decades later she would be leading Tasmania’s Health Department through a pandemic.

And she has a message for young girls: “You can do anything. It’s about working hard, keeping going and never turning down an opportunity.”

Ms Morgan-Wicks (pictured), was only a few months into the job as head of the Department of Health when COVID-19 struck Tasmania.

“I was certainly thrown in the deep end. We needed to make important decisions quickly,” she said.

“I am now proud of how the department, the broader government and the Tasmanian public handled the situation. We are a small state but when we pull together the results can be inspirational.”

Ms Morgan-Wicks grew up the daughter of a teacher in Queensland.

She then went on to complete law and psychology degrees at the University of Queensland.

“Working at Myer got me through law school and I went on to work for one of the top law firms.”

As a small child, Ms Morgan-Wicks had visions of working in a criminal courtroom. But she found corporate law and business was her main interest.

The now mother of two started work for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in 2000 dealing with numerous corporate collapses before she landed the big one — the investigation into the collapse of Ansett.

“It was a couple of years of very intense work ... but I learned a huge amount,” she said.

From there she moved into ASIC’s complaints and then registry divisions and was pivotal in red tape reforms.

In 2003 her mother became ill and Ms MorganWicks decided to move the whole family to Tasmania.

“It’s was a great decision. I have worked across most Australian capital cities but Hobart has offered me the most opportunity.”

She worked in the Treasury department, then the Department of Justice. She became Secretary and Head of Agency at the Department of Health in September, 2019.

Six months later the pandemic hit.

“I needed to learn hard and fast and make important decisions quickly such as the unprecedented one to close one of the state’s public hospitals to stem infections,” Ms Morgan-Wicks said.