Gig Guide: Assistant Treasurer to leave parliament


Brandon How
Reporter

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones will not recontest the next federal election, leaving the frontbench amid the federal government’s renewed push to get social media giants to pay for news.

Mr Jones has spent the last 15 years as the Member for Whitlam, having been elected back in 2010. He was eventually appointed Financial Services minister and Assistant Treasurer when the Albanese government came to power in 2022.

In the past three years, he has overseen slew of tech-related regulatory proposals covering cryptocurrencies, scams and Big Tech, as well as the Consumer Data Right. However, many are still in the consultation phase.

Mr Jones’ last major proposal was a social media levy and offset scheme, referred to as the News Media Bargaining Incentive, after Meta refused to renew deals to pay news publishers under the News Media Bargaining Code.

In a statement, Mr Jones said in a statement he is proud of the work he has done “fighting scams, protecting workers superannuation, making financial advice more accessible and affordable, and strengthening consumer protections for all Australians”.

Reflecting on his early days, he said he’s proud to have helped progress “marriage equality and gambling ad reform” as well as helping to secure the future of the local steel industry.

Outgoing Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones

Quantum computing firm Quantum Brilliance has appointed Dr Andrew Dunn as its chief operating officer. Dr Dunn has been the company’s United Kingdom country manager since November 2023, having previously worked at semiconductor developer Arm Holdings.

Geoscience Australia has announced Melissa Harris as its next chief executive. The public service medalists, who will join the agency on February 24, moves from her role as chief executive and registrar of titles at Land Use Victoria.

Oceanographer and co-founder of subsea robotics manufacturer MRV Systems Professor Tony Haymet is Australia’s new chief scientist, as reported earlier this week.

Flying Fox Ventures co-founder and partner Kylie Frazer has joined UNSW Founders as its investor-in-residence. Ms Frazer is a former co-founder and partner at Eleanor Venture and spent five years as a mentor for startup accelerator Startmate.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s (BoM) new chief scientist and group executive for science and innovation is Robert Agent, a promotion from his role as general manager research to operations. Mr Agent has been at the BoM for nearly 17 years.

Bianca Wirth is the new chief information security officer of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. She has spent almost three years as cluster chief information security officer at the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.

The Critical Infrastructure Intelligence Sharing Information Sharing and Analysis Centre’s new ambassador is David Gee. Mr Gee is Macquarie Group’s former global head technology, cyber and data risk and HSBC’s former chief information security officer.

The new executive director of the NSW government’s Net Zero Commission will be Will Rayward-Smith. Mr Rayward-Smith, who will join on February 17, is currently a Deloitte partner for energy and climate advisory and is the founder of Laing O’Rourke subsidiary SunSHIFT, a developer of movable solar power plant technology.

As reported on Wednesday, South Australian MP and former computer programmer Michael Brown has been appointed the state’s first Assistant Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy. Mr Brown was also formerly Labor Party state secretary and chief of staff for former Premier Jay Weatherill.

Meanwhile, federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton has appointed Tasmanian Senator Claire Chandler shadow minister for government services and the digital economy and shadow minister for science and the arts.

Shadow communications minister David Coleman has passed his portfolio to Member for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh to take on the foreign affairs portfolio.

The new chief executive of the Electric Vehicle Council, an industry representative group, is communications and corporate affairs executive Julie Delvecchio. Ms Delvecchio is the founder and director of Clear Cut Communications and has just moved on from Fitzpatrick and Co Advisory as a partner.

The Western Australian government appointed a seven member AI advisory board to ensure public sector AI use complies with its own guidelines and assurance frameworks. It includes the former chair of the NSW AI Advisory Committee Dr Ian Oppermann.

Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.

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