Ex-Alice headmaster shines as PS axe falls

1
1933

p2353-ken-daviesBy ERWIN CHLANDA
 
Former headmaster of Bradshaw School, Ken Davies (pictured), was appointed to head up a new super department which includes Children and Families whose head, Anne Bradford, has been sacked by new Chief Minister Michael Gunner in public service changes announced yesterday.
 
The Children and Families Department has recently been rocked by a bullying scandal in Alice Springs.
 
Another departmental head to go is Tourism NT’s Tony Mayell who was based in Alice Springs.
 
Mr Gunner says changes to the public service will deliver $15m in savings from 2017-18, largely through a reduction in the number of chief executives, senior executives and duplication between agencies. Major agencies and departments will be reduced from 23 to 15.
 
Smaller agencies, commissions and government owned corporations will remain in place.
 
Mr Davies was Chief Executive of the Department of Education from April 2013, according to an NT Government website.
 
He began his career in the Northern Territory as a teacher at Papunya in 1978. He became a school principal in Alice Springs and Katherine and regional superintendent in Tennant Creek.
 
In 1999 he moved from Central Australia to Darwin, taking a position in the Department of the Chief Minister, and was soon appointed General Manager Indigenous Education in the Department of Education.
 
More recently, he has served as Chief Executive for the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment (DLPE), the Department of Housing, Local Government and Regional Services and as Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of the Chief Minister.
 
In these roles he implemented a significant restructure of DLPE, established the new Northern Territory Planning Commission, the Environment Protection Authority, and one of the largest housing programs ever undertaken in remote Australia.
 
He has worked extensively with local government.
 
Departments and agencies will be grouped into four clusters that reflect the priorities of the government, says Mr Gunner.
 
They are: Chief Minster and Central Agencies; Children and Families; Development; Tourism, Environment and Culture.
 
“Other than some chief executives the changes will not result in any terminations of ongoing public sector employees,” says Mr Gunner.
 
“The new Territory Families agency will be headed by former Education Chief Executive, Ken Davies, one of the most experienced and respected chief executives in the Territory.
 
“I thank Ron Kelly, Tony Mayell, Anne Bradford and Dave McHugh for their service and commitment to the Territory and wish them well into the future.”
 
Departmental heads are:–
 
DEPARTMENT OF THE CHIEF MINISTER – Jodie Ryan (acting).
 
DEPARTMENT OF ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND JUSTICE – Greg Shanahan.
 
DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, PLANNING AND LOGISTICS – Andrew Kirkman.
 
DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES – Alister Trier.
 
TERRITORY FAMILIES – Ken Davies.
 
DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND CULTURE – Alastair Shields.
 
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES- Alastair Shields (Acting).
 
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – Mike Chiodo.
 
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE, BUSINESS AND INNOVATION – Michael Tennant.
 
KEY AGENCIES REMAINING UNCHANGED
 
Department of Treasury and Finance – Jodie Ryan, Existing functions.
 
Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment – Craig Allen, existing functions.
 
Department of Corporate and Information Services – Kathleen Robinson, existing functions.
 
Department of Health – Janet Anderson (acting), existing functions (less Seniors and Pensioner Concessions).
 
Department of Education – Vicki Baylis (acting), existing functions.
 
Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services – Reece Kershaw, existing functions.
 
 

1 COMMENT

  1. I am curious.
    There have been no comments posted about this post election announcement.
    “Former headmaster of Bradshaw School, Ken Davies (pictured), was appointed to head up a new super department which includes Children and Families whose head, Anne Bradford, has been sacked by new Chief Minister Michael Gunner in public service changes announced yesterday.”
    And yet there are 23 comments made about the story run pre election “Dept of Children and Families toxic, repressive, say staff” which seems to have a direct correlation.
    Feels very controlled – not more of the same one hopes.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here