The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has made appointments to key new roles in its senior executive leadership team as part of its transformation work.
Information Rights
Ashleigh McDonald has been appointed Executive General Manager, Information Rights.
Ms McDonald will lead the OAIC’s FOI (freedom of information) Case Management, Privacy Case Management, and Intake and Triage branches. She will be responsible for strategically enhancing the OAIC’s case management functions to ensure the best outcomes for the Australian community.
Ms McDonald has a strong record of serving the community through 23 years of public service and will join the OAIC in February from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Regulatory Action
Rowena Park has been appointed Executive General Manager, Regulatory Action.
Ms Park will lead the OAIC’s team of experts in enforcement, investigations and compliance, ensuring the regulator takes proactive and strategic action, including around new technologies and emerging harms.
Ms Park will bring significant experience in regulation and enforcement when she commences in February, including from her current role heading compliance and enforcement for the Australian Energy Regulator.
OAIC transformation
Australian Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd said the appointments are part of an organisational redesign that will ensure the OAIC is a harm-focused, proactive regulator.
“It has been a year of significant change for the OAIC, with the office returning to having three commissioners and embarking on a program of work to ensure we are a modern and effective regulator,” Commissioner Tydd said.
“I congratulate Ashleigh and Rowena on their appointments and look forward to working with them as we increase our focus on education and enforcement that delivers positive outcomes for the Australian community.
“Their expertise will help ensure the office is well positioned to promote and uphold information access and privacy rights now and into the future.”
Bios
Ashleigh McDonald has a strong record of serving the community through 23 years of public service, including in senior leadership roles in the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Ms McDonald brings with her a wealth of experience gained through legal, policy, service delivery and corporate roles and has been responsible for leading and managing complex reforms including the Australian Government’s response to the Robodebt Royal Commission and the enactment of marriage equality in Australia.
Rowena Park has spent the past three years leading the Australian Energy Regulator’s Compliance and Enforcement Branch as General Manager. She led a team of around 70 people responsible for all investigations and enforcement undertaken by the regulator, as well as retail authorisations, exemptions, retail and wholesale compliance, compliance assessment and reporting. Ms Park has previously led enforcement teams at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) focusing on financial services and credit misconduct, including as Group Senior Manager in Financial Services Enforcement. She led ASIC’s Royal Commission Litigation Program focusing on misconduct arising from the Royal Commission into Banking and Financial Services. Ms Park has over 20 years’ experience in litigation, dispute resolution, regulation and enforcement both in the private and public sectors. She is also the Chair of the Queensland Chapter of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government’s National Regulators Community of Practice and a national steering committee member.
