Appointment of Coordinator-General for Remote Indigenous Services
Mr Gleeson has an impressive career spanning the United Nations (UN) and Australian Public Service. He has a strong background in strategic policy, building partnerships and relationships, local community engagement, change management, and financial and human resource management.
Mr Gleeson’s broad experience will be invaluable in his role as Coordinator-General, with responsibility to drive the implementation of the Council of Australian Governments’ reforms in housing, infrastructure and employment in remote Indigenous communities.
I will be asking Mr Gleeson to include a special focus on implementing the Government’s $125 million Transformation Plan in the Alice Springs town camps.
Mr Gleeson has spent the past twelve years working for the UN, most recently as the UN Resident Coordinator/Resident Representative Libya Arab Jamahiriya.
Prior to that, Mr Gleeson was based in UN Development Program (UNDP) Headquarters in New York where he undertook a range of positions including Senior Adviser in SURGE Project Bureau Crisis Prevention and Recovery and Director of the Office of Human Resources. Mr Gleeson has also had key roles in the World Health Organization and the United Nations Headquarters.
Mr Gleeson has undertaken numerous leadership roles on athletic bodies, including the Australian Olympic Council, supported the Australia Team at the 1996 Olympics and has a track record mentoring young Indigenous athletes.
He also has extensive Senior Executive experience in the Australian Public Service.
He has accounting, economics and management qualifications from the University of Canberra and is a Certified Public Accountant.
The Coordinator-General will report directly to me and will work closely with Indigenous people, community groups, industry and government organisations to make in-roads into our national targets for closing the gap.
This position will ensure Government commitments in remote Indigenous communities deliver real results.
Mr Gleeson is expected to commence his position in mid-July.