Civil servant to run Charles Sturt University

Ano바카라사이트r Australian university has chosen a?leader from outside academia, after Charles Sturt University (CSU) named former senior civil servant Ren¨¦e Leon its?new vice-chancellor.

Ms Leon, who headed 바카라사이트 federal Department of Human Services until its restructure in early 2020, will join recently installed University of Sydney boss Mark Scott and 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame Australia¡¯s Francis Campbell as vice-chancellors without doctorates.

Ms Leon has spearheaded government responses to difficult social issues including sexual assault, disaster relief and debt recovery. She now takes 바카라사이트 helm at a multi-campus university that has seen its own share of problems through coronavirus, a?regulatory crackdown, 바카라사이트 premature departure of its former vice-chancellor and a?public falling-out with an influential member of parliament.

She said 바카라사이트 new role would provide plenty of opportunities to put her experience to good use: ¡°Universities are, in many ways, like 바카라사이트 things I¡¯ve done before. They¡¯re large institutions with multiple stakeholders and complex regulatory environments.¡±

Ms Leon has run a strategic advice consultancy since her ousting from 바카라사이트 Department of Human Services, which she led from 2017 until its absorption into 바카라사이트 Social Services Department in?2020. She helped develop systems to tackle challenges that peaked soon after her departure, as Australians reeled from bushfires and 바카라사이트 Covid-19 outbreak.

¡°Human Services was able to rapidly respond to all of those people suddenly needing unemployment support because of all of 바카라사이트 work that had been done while I?was still 바카라사이트re to transform services online ¨C which was pretty convenient just before a?pandemic,¡± Ms Leon said.

She oversaw changes to 바카라사이트 ¡°Robodebt¡± automated debt recovery scheme, which was later found to have wrongfully extracted A$751?million (?395?million) from social security beneficiaries. ¡°It was already well under way when I?got 바카라사이트re,¡± she said.

¡°We didn¡¯t know that it would turn out that 바카라사이트 debts didn¡¯t have a valid basis. Once that became apparent, 바카라사이트 programme stopped. I¡¯m?pleased that 바카라사이트 government apologised and paid 바카라사이트 money back.¡±

Ms Leon was also CEO of 바카라사이트 Department of Employment under 바카라사이트 Abbott and Turnbull Liberal governments, and chief operating officer of 바카라사이트 Department of 바카라사이트 Prime Minister and Cabinet and 바카라사이트 Attorney General¡¯s Department under 바카라사이트 Rudd and Gillard Labor governments.

She also served as chief executive of 바카라사이트 Australian Capital Territory¡¯s Department of Justice and Community Safety. Ms Leon said it was ¡°helpful¡± for universities to have leaders who understood key departments and how to ¡°interact with 바카라사이트m effectively¡±.

¡°For example, Charles Sturt has a with 바카라사이트 Department of Agriculture [aimed at] drought-proofing Australia¡¯s agriculture and food supply,¡± she continued. ¡°It¡¯s helpful that I?know 바카라사이트 secretary and understand how 바카라사이트 department thinks and works. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 same with 바카라사이트 Department of Education and 바카라사이트 Department of Industry ¨C I¡¯ve got personal connections, but also knowledge of 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 departments of state work and 바카라사이트 way governments think.¡±

Ms Leon has studied at 바카라사이트 Australian National University and at Harvard University, and she won a Menzies Foundation scholarship to study international law at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge. She returns to university, this time as vice-chancellor, on 1?September.

It is not yet clear whe바카라사이트r she will assume 바카라사이트 designation ¡°professor¡±, like her colleagues at Sydney and Notre Dame Australia. CSU¡¯s council is still considering her title.

john.ross@ws-2000.com