Introducing our panellists

Minister for Finance, Women, and the Public Service

Minister Katy Gallagher has dedicated her working life to improving the lives of Australians, whether it was advocating for people with disability as a community worker, standing up for the rights of public servants as a Community and Public Sector Union Organiser or delivering for citizens of Canberra as the Chief Minister of the ACT.

As a Minister in the ACT Government and later as Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher led a progressive and future-focused government that legislated marriage equality, started Australia’s first public nurse-led walk-in medical centres and committed the Government to a 100% renewable energy target by 2020.

As a senior Cabinet Minister holding the Federal Government’s finance, data and digital, public service and the women’s portfolios, Katy Gallagher is passionate about putting people at the forefront of government decision-making, policy development and service delivery.

Chief Information Officer, Defence Digital Group

Mr Chris Crozier was recently appointed Chief Information Officer, leading the Defence Digital Group at Defence.

Prior to joining Defence, Mr Crozier was the Group Chief Information Officer for Orica International, the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of explosives for mining and civil construction.

As the Group Chief Information Officer, Mr Crozier was accountable for global digital technology strategies and operations across a footprint of the organisation spanning 120 countries, covering Business (IT), Customer (IoT) and Manufacturing (OT) systems, including the governance of Orica’s digital ecosystems, architecture, data, and cyber posture.

Prior to this, Mr Crozier held executive roles within Orica as Vice President of AusPac (60% of Orica’s global EBIT), Chief Digital Officer and Global Vice President Supply Chain; and BHP as Global Chief Information Officer and Global Chief Procurement Officer.

As a 35-year veteran of the Mining and Resources Sector, having commenced his professional life with Rio Tinto as a Research Engineer, Mr Crozier has experienced the highs and lows of the commodity cycle.

He has worked in Asia for more than 25 years, residing in Singapore for 18 years.

Mr Crozier has a Chemical Engineering Degree (Honours First Class) and Master of Business Administration.

In his spare time, Mr Crozier enjoys endurance sports, including cycling, running and swimming.

Chief Information Officer, Australian Taxation Office

Matthew is currently acting Chief Information Officer. In this role, he provides leadership and sets strategic direction on information and communications technology in the ATO. This is to ensure we maintain a contemporary, secure and reliable technology environment to support tax, super and registry systems into the future.

Matthew has more than 25 years' experience in the public sector with a focus on IT program delivery, strategy and business transformation.

In his previous role as Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Architecture within the Enterprise Solutions and Technology Group (ATO), Matthew led a diverse portfolio responsible for strategy development and technology investment.

His role included:

• delivering contemporary technology and digital services
• provisioning of governance and planning capabilities that support investment decisions
• setting directions, monitoring and supporting the delivery of IT operations.

Matthew also led the ATO’s IT Strategic Sourcing Program that will reshape, modernise and replace the ATO’s current range of IT managed services.

Matthew has also worked as a lead of Enterprise Capabilities – where he was accountable for the ATO’s core systems, major policy and legislative programs (such as Super Reform Program, Tax Time, and Single Touch Payroll).

In 2020, Matthew led the technology implementation to enable the COVID-19 stimulus measures such as JobKeeper, Cash Flow Boost and Early Release of Super.

Prior to joining ATO in 2009, Matthew worked at the NSW Office of State Revenue.

Matthew holds a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University in Sydney.

A/g Group Manager, Technology and Major Capability Group, Department of Home Affairs

Radi Kovacevic is currently the Acting Group Manager for Technology and Major Capability Group for the Department of Home Affairs. Radi has responsibility for Home Affairs information communication technology, major capability, operations, delivery for identity and biometrics services and architectural direction to transform ICT foundations in partnership across the Department.

Previously, Radi headed up the GOV.AU team in the Digital Transformation Agency and was also the Chief Information Officer for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, with responsibility for all digital services.

Radi has a strong background in digital delivery for large programs, including the 2014 G20 summit and large machinery of government changes. In the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Radi assisted with the remediation program for the Home Insulation Program and supported the digital delivery for energy efficiency programs such as National Solar Schools.

Radi holds a Bachelor of Commerce Accounting and Graduate Diploma of Computer Science from the University of Canberra.

Chief Technology Officer, CIO Command, Australian Federal Police

Krissie Auld was appointed Chief Technology for the AFP in March 2022 bringing to the role highly relevant experience in the delivery of ICT infrastructure and services in both the public and private sectors.

Before joining the AFP Krissie was the Head of Technology at IMB Bank where she worked on open banking, the development and implementation of the cyber security policy and the bank’s data strategy.

Krissie has seen government from two sides. Before her experience at IMB Bank, she was an Account Delivery Executive at Microsoft and in this role worked closely with NSW and Qld State Government departments

Before her government-facing role at Microsoft, Krissie spent 20 years in the NSW State Government.

She worked in areas such as research, operational services and as a Director of Digital, Information and Spatial Services. She delivered large scale ICT projects including open data and open government.

Principal Analyst, Intermedium

Judy was a Deputy Commissioner of Taxation when she left the Australian Public Service and was responsible for a range of major ICT-dependent program reforms, including the implementation of the Tax File Number System.

She has an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and founded Intermedium in 2004, as a specialist researcher of Australian public sector use of digital and ICT.

As an independent industry analyst, she has an extensive understanding of key technology and digitisation issues facing senior government decision-makers.