New Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety to be formed

Former Dept of the Premier and Cabinet chief David Smith appointed as new Director General.
Date: Thursday, 04 May 2017

Former Acting Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet David Smith started today in his role to head up the transition to the new Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.

David Smith

Mr Smith, who took up his post with Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), said he was very excited about his new role and was looking forward to meeting and working with staff at DMP and Department of Commerce on his new task.

“There is quite a lot of work to do before the July 1 start for the new department,” he said.

“This is a very exciting time, which I am sure will also present challenges, but I look forward to making the transition as easy as possible for all of us across both agencies.

“I would like to thank Tim Griffin for his leadership as the Acting Director General at DMP since August last year.

“Tim has kept a very steady ship during challenging change management periods after Richard Sellers moved to Transport and through the election period and change of Government.

“I expect that Tim will continue to play a key role, including working closely with the executive team at Commerce, as we transition to the new department.”

The new Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety will be formed by the amalgamation of DMP with the regulatory and labor relations functions of the Department of Commerce.

The career public servant was appointed DPC Acting Director General in August 2016, and had been the Deputy Director General since August 2008.

Before DPC, Mr Smith was a member of the Corporate Executive of the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF), with responsibility for economic policy. He was in the DTF in a variety of positions for 12-years.

Mr Smith also has more than 20 years of experience in the Commonwealth public service, including the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and an overseas posting with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has also worked with a private economic consultancy in London.

In other moves, DMP Deputy Director General Michelle Andrews is moving to the DPC to assist with the State Government’s public sector renewal program.

The government is initiating a Service Priority Review, led by an independent panel, to provide recommendations on significant and lasting change across the sector.

The Service Priority Review will report back to the State Government in October, and Ms Andrews will head up the Secretariat supporting the independent panel.