Our leaders
Jon Grayson
Director-General
Jon was appointed Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in March 2012 bringing substantial experience in infrastructure development and investment management, as well as the economic reforms of the 1980s and 1990s.
For the two years prior to his appointment, Jon was principal and founder of Queensland Infrastructure Partners, an advisory and transaction arranging firm specialising in infrastructure investment.
He was previously a senior executive with a major international advisory and investment firm. Jon’s investment banking experience was primarily in the infrastructure and energy sectors. He led successful bids for infrastructure assets such as the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal. This experience included two years as Chief Executive of Prime Infrastructure, which became one of Australia's largest infrastructure funds, during its establishment and subsequent initial public offering on the Australian Stock Exchange.
Prior to his investment banking career, Jon had a long career in Queensland Treasury and Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) giving him a good understanding of government policy objectives and processes. He led major reform processes within government including the development and implementation of the Suncorp-Metway merger, and the major review of QR Corporatisation. At QTC, Jon managed the state’s overseas borrowing program, and led the Structured Finance Group, arranging and executing a range of financing solutions for government owned corporations and statutory bodies, including cross-border lease transactions over Queensland Government owned rail and electricity assets.
Sue Rickerby
Deputy Director-General
Sue was appointed Deputy Director-General of the Priority Projects Division in February 2013. She brings with her an extensive background in local government and the private sector, with experience in marketing and communication roles in Australia and New Zealand.
Sue is responsible for:
- The Queensland Plan, a 30-year vision for Queensland. The Plan will be developed over the course of 2013 through a collaborative process involving the community, business and industry representatives, state and local government officers and Members of Parliament.
- One Stop Shop, an initiative delivering simpler and easier access to government services.
- Open Data, making government data available to the public allowing the development of innovative services and solutions. The open data revolution is a key part of the government’s agenda to drive growth and job creation in Queensland.
Previously Sue has held several executive roles in Brisbane City Council where she was responsible for marketing, customer services, front-line services (including waste management) and shared services.
Her achievements include the development of Council’s first brand strategy and customer focus strategy, and the establishment of the Shared Services Centre providing financial and procurement services to all parts of Council. Sue represented Council on several external bodies and boards and, as a trained Incident Controller, was closely involved in Council’s disaster response work, including for the 2011 floods.
In October 2013, Sue will take up the role of Director-General of the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts.
Craig Evans
Deputy Director-General
Governance
Craig was appointed Deputy Director-General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet in March 2012. In this role he is responsible for leading the Queensland Government’s policy development and policy coordination processes, the public sector renewal program and providing policy advice to the Director-General and Premier.
Previously, Craig held various positions within the Brisbane City Council, most recently Executive Manager, Disaster Response and Recovery.
Craig has had an extensive military career, held the position of Chief of Staff for the Lord Mayor (2004-06) and has also worked for a number of Australian-based professional services companies in the Middle East and Asia. He has studied Strategic and Global Security at the Indian National Defence College, New Delhi and holds a Master of Defence Studies from the University of New South Wales.
Craig also has a Graduate Diploma of Defence Studies (Public Policy and Strategic Security) from Deakin University, was a Graduate at the Australian Army Command and Staff College in 1993 and holds a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) from the University of New South Wales.
Craig was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2001.
Pat Vidgen
Deputy Director-General
Governance
As Deputy Director-General, Governance, Pat is responsible for leading the delivery of executive and corporate support services by the department. Pat has more than twenty years of public sector experience in negotiating key outcomes for Queensland, and is a respected advisor to the most senior levels of government including successive Premiers, Ministers, Governors, Governors-General, and chief executives in government and non-government agencies.
Pat has previously held various senior positions within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in the areas of Constitutional and Administrative Law Services, Security Planning and Coordination and State Affairs. He has successfully managed projects across a diverse range of areas, including major event facilitation (e.g. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, Queensland150th anniversary celebrations ), major disaster recovery (Cyclone Larry and Queensland Floods) and feasibility studies for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Pat currently represents the Queensland Government on a range of Commonwealth and state government boards and committees, such as South Bank Corporation, Australian Honours and Bravery Councils and Australian-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee.
Theresa Johnson
Parliamentary Counsel
Theresa was appointed Queensland Parliamentary Counsel in February 2010. She is a highly qualified lawyer and legislative drafter, and joined OQPC in 1991 after periods in private practice, academia and the Commonwealth public sector where she began her drafting career with the Commonwealth Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.
Theresa holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree (Honours) from the University of Queensland and a Master of Law Degree from Cambridge University. She has extensive academic and professional expertise in the areas of constitutional and administrative law.
As chief executive of the office, Theresa has overall responsibility for ensuring the office effectively and efficiently supports the government and democracy in its drafting and publishing of legislation for Queensland. Theresa is leading OQPC during a period of significant transformational change, with OQPC working incrementally towards becoming Australia's best provider of legislative drafting and publishing services.
Theresa also represents Queensland on the Australasian Parliamentary Counsel’s Committee, a senior interjurisdictional body responsible for developing national uniform legislation and supporting national regulatory reform. Queensland has been actively involved in the recent delivery of significant national scheme legislation, including as lead drafting jurisdiction for the heavy vehicle national legislation.
Ian Beale
Deputy Parliamentary Counsel
Ian was appointed Deputy Parliamentary Counsel in 2008. Ian is a Solicitor with Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Law Degrees from the University of Queensland. Before joining OQPC in 1995, Ian was employed as a solicitor for 13 years in a Brisbane firm of solicitors and during that time gained extensive experience in litigation and commercial law practice.
As Deputy Parliamentary Counsel for group 1, Ian has responsibility for delivering the legislative program for a number of agencies. Ian also has responsibility for the quality assurance of draft legislation and for publication of Queensland legislation and information about Queensland legislation.
Annette O’Callaghan
Deputy Parliamentary Counsel
Annette was appointed Deputy Parliamentary Counsel in 2010. Annette has a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the Queensland University of Technology and began her legal career in Queensland at Crown Law. Annette is a Solicitor and first joined OQPC in 1993, before performing senior drafting and leadership roles in Victoria and New South Wales, where she drafted significant legislation on behalf of the Australasian Parliamentary Counsel’s Committee.
As Deputy Parliamentary Counsel for group 2, Annette has responsibility for delivering the legislative program for a number of agencies. Annette also has responsibility for OQPC’s business systems, including information systems and the eLegislation project.