Advice that
benefits Australia

Professor Peter Shergold AC has over thirty years’ experience working at the highest levels of the Australian Public Service. Peter headed the Commonwealth agencies responsible for Multicultural Affairs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Employment and Workplace Relations, and Education, Science and Training. He was Public Service Commissioner in 1996-97 and Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2003 to 2008.

Peter remains active in public administration. He is the Chair of the Australian Research Council and is the NSW Coordinator General for Settlement. He is also the Chair of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). In the not-for-profit sector, Peter is the Chair of Australia for UNHCR and sits on the board of the McKinnon Foundation.

Peter was made a Member in the Order of Australia (AM) for public service in 1996 and became a Companion in the Order of Australia (AC) in 2007. He received the Centenary Medal in 2003.

Nick Warner is a former Secretary of the Department of Defence, Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence (ONI), and Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS).

He has also held senior diplomatic posts, including Ambassador to Iran, High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, and Special Coordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands.

His leadership in complex institutions enables him to advise expertly on governance, accountability, strategic review, and organisational performance improvement.

Helen Silver served with distinction over 25 years in the Victorian and Commonwealth public services culminating in appointment as Secretary of the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet where she led the Victorian public service through a number of major crises, including Black Saturday bushfires. She has extensive experience in the management of large, complex organisations in the public and private sectors with multi-faceted stakeholders as well as deep expertise in governance and overseeing complex regulatory environments and commercial transformational programs.

Helen is a recognised expert in the Commonwealth/State financial arrangements, budgetary and national reform, and social finance. Her government roles were primarily in Treasury portfolios (including Productivity Commission) and Premier and Cabinet as well as leading workers compensation and other insurance businesses.

Helen is also a highly experienced and respected Chair, Non-Executive Director and former CEO and she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2015.

Martin Bowles has served nearly 40 years in state and Commonwealth public services with roles including Secretary of the Department of Health, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and Deputy Secretary in Defence. In these roles, Martin led major reforms in health financing, preventative care, immigration policy and Defence Bases.

From 2017-2025, Martin also served as National CEO of Calvary Health Care, leading the organisation through a significant period of strategic transformation, focusing on integrated care, innovation and values-based leadership.

Chris Eccles was Secretary of the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet (2014-2020), Director-General of the New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet (2011-2014), and Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of the Premier and Cabinet (2009 to 2011).

Chris also worked in a variety of government and private sector senior management positions, including the ACT Chief Minister's Department, the Australian National Training Authority and KPMG, where he headed the national education consulting practice. He is currently Chair of the Board of Evolve Housing, a large Tier 1 Community Housing Provider.

Duncan Lewis served the Australian Government for 47 years, both in and out of uniform, culminating as Director-General of Security and Head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).

Across 15 years in the Australian Public Service, he held a range of senior national security and diplomatic roles, including Secretary of the Department of Defence, National Security Adviser to two Prime Ministers, and Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union, and NATO.

Elizabeth Cosson has over 31 years of experience in the Australian Defence Force, serving in senior roles across supply, logistics, strategy and planning.

She has also held key public sector leadership positions, including Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, President of the Repatriation Commission, and Chair of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission.

Peter Tesch has over 35 years of experience as a trusted advisor to the highest levels of government.

He served as Deputy Secretary for Strategy, Policy and Industry in the Department of Defence, and held key diplomatic roles over a 32-year career at DFAT, including Ambassador to Russia and Germany, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, and Head of the International Security Division.

Wendy Southern’s career in the Australian Public Service involved leadership roles across a range of policy and programme management areas - from Health to Security to Immigration. In particular, Wendy served in Deputy Secretary roles with the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (later Border Protection) and the Department of Health and Ageing.

Wendy received the Public Service Medal in 2006 and the Outstanding Achievement in Public Administration Award in 2010.

John James Frewen has over 40 years of military experience including roles overseeing key defence, security and intelligence organisations, international military operations, and more recently, multi-agency government task forces.

He has also held senior national security roles as Principal Deputy Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate, Coordinator General of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce, and Chief of Joint Capabilities.

Caroline Millar is an experienced former senior career diplomat from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Caroline was Ambassador to the European Union, NATO, Belgium, and Luxembourg, a former deputy head of Mission in Washington, and previously Permanent Representative and Ambassador for Disarmament at the United Nations in Geneva. She was also a former Deputy Secretary for National Security at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Caroline brings extensive expertise in international security, foreign policy, trade policy advocacy, humanitarian issues and multilateral negotiations.