It’s hard to ignore the sudden and mysterious departure of Paul Wappett from the CEO role at the RACGP as the biggest move of the week, but there are other deckchairs being shuffled.
We and our sister publication, TMR, have written extensively about the sudden disappearance of former RACGP CEO Paul Wappett, but we can’t let the other moves across the sector go unmentioned.
New CEO for Family Planning Australia
Sue Shilbury, former director of children, youth and families at Uniting, has been appointed as the new CEO of leading reproductive and sexual health service Family Planning Australia.
Ms Shilbury replaces the recently retired Adjunct Professor Ann Brassil, and returns to the organisation where she served as a non-executive director from 2014 to 2017.
Starting in the role this week, Ms Shilbury brings more than 32 years’ experience in the NSW and Victorian public health sectors to the role through her range of executive leadership roles in hospitals, health and community services.
“Driving policy changes to improve access to care and services for the disadvantaged is something I really want to focus on as the new CEO,” she said.
“This organisation has a proud history of working with the underserved. I’m in-step with growing the kind of care we offer the community and making sure these essential services are as equitably available as possible.
“Offering low and no-cost care to patients who need it is a foundational value of Family Planning Australia. We know this helps improve access to essential reproductive and sexual health services.”
“[Our] diverse focus ensures we not only meet the needs of clients who have always relied on Family Planning for their reproductive and sexual healthcare but also that we respond to changes over time and meet new needs that are emerging among our clients,” she said.
“I’m passionate about continuing to grow this important work and seeing some exciting efforts come out of diverse teams which people may not always associate with our day-to-day work. We have huge scope to build on already excellent efforts in areas like research, international programs and education.”
Prior to her role at Uniting, Ms Shilbury served as CEO of Austin Health for three years, a term that ended in some controversy. Her resignation came after a series of negative reports involving the Austin Hospital, in the north-eastern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, according to the ABC.
Public service appointments
The Australian Human Rights Commission has appointed Rosemary Kayess, the current vice chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as the country’s new Disability Discrimination Commissioner.
Ms Kayess is currently a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Law and a senior research fellow at the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of NSW, and holds roles at the University of Galway (Ireland) and York University (Canada). She was awarded the Human Rights Medal in 2019 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights.
“On behalf of commissioners and staff I warmly welcome Ms Kayess,” said Commission president Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM.
“She is a leading disability and human rights lawyer who has been extremely influential in her work in international human rights law for people with disability.
“Throughout her career she has advocated for the rights of people with disabilities. Her contribution to drafting the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the lobbying she undertook for its ratification in Australia has made the world a better place for so many people.
“Ms Kayess’ distinguished career in international human rights law and disability rights coupled with the deep respect with which she is held by the disability community will be an asset to the Commission at this critical time,” said Professor Croucher.
“There is no better person to chart a course for the future of disability rights in Australia in the aftermath of the Royal Commission into the Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
“We are delighted to have someone of Ms Kayess’ distinction join the Commission to advance the rights of people with disability.”
National Rural Health Alliance
The NRHA has welcomed new board members elected at its 32nd AGM.
Penny Stewart OAM, director of Alice Springs ICU and Dr Nicole Liesis, clinical lead of emergency at Narrogin Health Service are the newcomers, while Nicole O’Reilly, head of the School of Health Sciences at Charles Darwin University, was re-elected as chair., Jacqueline Emery, CEO of Royal Far West, was also re-elected.
Heather Keighley, board member of the Australian College of Nursing (Rural Nursing and Midwifery Faculty) and an academic at Flinders University NT on rural and remote health was re-elected as deputy chair.
Katherine Isbister, director of Bluewater Health Consultancy was elected as Treasurer.
The other directors are Monica Barolits-McCabe, executive director of NACCHO; Geoff Argus, director of Southern Queensland Rural Health; and Frank Quinlan, federation executive director of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The directors will hold office until the 2025 AGM.
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