Key management personnel
Australian Public Service Commissioner
Mr Peter Woolcott AO
Mr Peter Woolcott AO commenced as the Commissioner on 9 August 2018.
He has served as Australia’s High Commissioner to New Zealand (2016–2017), Ambassador for the Environment (2014–16), and led the negotiations to the Paris Agreement on climate change (2016), Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Ambassador for Disarmament (2010–2014), Ambassador for People Smuggling Issues (2009) and Ambassador to Italy (2004–2007), and Australian Consul General, Honolulu and Representative to the US Commander in Chief Pacific (1998-2001).
Most recently he has served as former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Chief of Staff.
Mr Woolcott was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2017 for his distinguished service to public administration in the field of international relations, and as a lead negotiator in the non-proliferation and arms control fields.
Mr. Woolcott was Chair of the Final United Nations Conference on the Army Trade Treaty in 2013.
Deputy Australian Public Service Commissioner
Ms Mary Wiley-Smith
Ms Mary Wiley-Smith commenced as the Deputy Commissioner on 3 September 2018. Ms Wiley-Smith was previously First Assistant Secretary at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, working on the Independent Review of the APS.
Prior to joining the Review, Ms Wiley-Smith led the Cities Division in the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities—responsible for the pioneering of ‘city deals’ in Australia.
Ms Wiley-Smith was previously the Chief Operating Officer for the Department of the Environment and Energy. She led the Strategic Review of the Department of the Environment, and also established its Sustainability, Policy and Analysis Division.
Ms Wiley-Smith has over 25 years in the APS and has a breadth of experience in building workforce capability and driving reform. She has held senior executive roles in the Australian Government leading work on sustainability, climate change, cities and urban policy, energy efficiency, housing affordability and supply, and renewable energy.
First Assistant Public Service Commissioner
Mr Richard Bartlett
Before joining the Commission, Mr Richard Bartlett was First Assistant Secretary, Social Policy Division at the Department of Finance. In this role, Mr Bartlett provided policy and finance advice to government on families, health, housing, community services, Indigenous affairs, aged care, veterans’ affairs and government service delivery.
Prior to this, Mr Bartlett held various senior roles at the Department of Finance, including First Assistant Secretary of Industry, Education and Infrastructure Division and First Assistant Secretary of Efficiency, Assurance and Digital Government Division. In these roles, Mr Bartlett provided policy and finance advice to government on education, energy, industry, transport and infrastructure, as well as driving public sector reform and digital transformation initiatives.
Mr Bartlett has also held a range of senior executive roles in the Australian Government at the Department of Health and at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.