Our leaders
Dave Stewart
Director-General
Dave was appointed Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) in February 2015. Prior to this role, he was the Secretary for Transport for New South Wales (NSW), where he led around 27,000 people in shaping, planning, policy and delivery of public transport, roads and freight across NSW.
After a long career in local government and engineering construction in Australia and the United Kingdom, Dave joined the Queensland Government in 2006 as Deputy Coordinator-General within the Department of Infrastructure and Planning, where he was responsible for delivering major water and road projects. From June 2008, he was the Director‑General of Queensland Transport and then the Department of Transport and Main Roads, overseeing the integration of organisations to a new customer-focused model. His primary responsibility was transport leadership including strategic policy and planning, system stewardship, infrastructure delivery and service delivery.
One of his highlights as the Director-General of DPC has been participating in the community champions program for Indigenous communities, where he regularly visits gulf communities and assists them with accessing much needed government services. He is passionate about regional Queensland and engaging directly with residents, business, government and community leaders.
Dave is a civil engineer and holds Masters Degrees in Business and Engineering Science. He completed an executive program at Harvard University looking at private sector involvement in infrastructure delivery. He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, an Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.
Graham Fraine
Deputy Director-General, Policy
As Deputy Director-General, Policy, Graham is responsible for developing specific policy advice on key issues, providing high-level strategic social and economic policy advice for the Premier and Cabinet and the implementation of key government decisions.
Graham holds degrees in the field of psychology that first brought him to Queensland Government in 1993 to work on policy and research on road user behaviour. Graham has more than 20 years’ experience in public policy development and social science research specialising in transportation, program development, and service delivery. He has a proven track record in delivering significant outcomes in policy and regulatory reform and through his leadership has improved outcomes for Queenslanders in a range of areas, including safety and customer service.
Between 1999 and 2002, Graham undertook doctoral research at the Queensland University of Technology. He is most proud of developing and overseeing the delivery of key road safety programs in Queensland that led to sustained reductions in road trauma, including Queensland’s lowest recorded road toll in 2014.
Filly Morgan
Deputy Director-General, Corporate and Government Services
Filly has more than 25 years’ experience in the Queensland public sector. In her current role as Deputy Director-General she leads the delivery of Corporate and Government Services. This includes supporting business before Executive Council, advice on machinery of government and constitutional matters, the Anzac Centenary commemoration program, corporate support for Ministerial Offices and the Leader of the Opposition, as well as the corporate functions for the department.
Filly has a broad range of experience in central and line agencies. She has previously worked in senior roles in DPC and the Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games. Filly is a Clerk of the Executive Council and is the Queensland representative on the Council for the Order of Australia. She is also an ex‑officio member of the Queensland Advisory Committee for the Commemoration of the Anzac Centenary and the Queensland Veterans’ Advisory Council.
Tess Bishop
Deputy Director-General, Strategy and Engagement
As Deputy Director-General, Tess leads the Strategy and Engagement Division and is responsible for intergovernmental relations, strategic policy, executive correspondence and the integrated communications and protocol functions within DPC. Appointed to the role in January 2017, Tess has more than 18 years’ experience across the public and private sectors in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Prior to this role, Tess was a Senior Executive in Queensland Health managing the Office of the Director-General. She has previously held senior positions in the Queensland and Victorian public sector and has experience working in both central and line agencies. Tess’s career in government is complemented by her extensive experience in the private sector, including her work with KPMG Europe, where she forged strategic relationships with business and industry stakeholders.
Voted by her peers, Tess was awarded an Australia Day Certificate of Achievement in January 2017. Tess is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Masters of International Relations, a Graduate Diploma in Business Management and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in political science and public policy.
Leighton Craig
Cabinet Secretary
Leighton has more than 20 years’ experience in the public sector. In his role as Cabinet Secretary, he heads the team responsible for managing services across the Queensland Government that support the operation of the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees. His team also monitors delivery of government commitments and decisions, and supports agencies to implement performance management.
Leighton has worked in a diverse range of policy and project areas within government, including law and justice policy, disaster relief, community engagement on significant infrastructure and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage. He has previously headed the legal and constitutional area of DPC and has been a Clerk of the Executive Council since 2010.
Kirsten Herring
Deputy Director-General, Arts Queensland
Kirsten was appointed as Deputy Director-General, Arts Queensland in 2013. In this role Kirsten oversees the activities of Arts Queensland, including the Queensland Government’s investments in the South Bank Cultural Precinct, the funding of the major arts companies, the corporate governance support for the state’s arts statutory bodies and government-owned companies, and the delivery of the arts investment and infrastructure funding programs. Before joining Arts Queensland, she held a number of executive positions with Events Queensland.
These roles included Interim Chief Executive Officer (from 1 August 2012 until the merger with Tourism Queensland in early 2013) and General Manager—Event Acquisition and Development. Kirsten has also worked as the Commercialisation Manager for the University of Queensland’s Arts faculty, the Head of International Production for Screen Queensland (then known as the Pacific Film and Television Corporation) and as the Director of Investment for the Department of State Development.
Annette O’Callaghan
Queensland Parliamentary Counsel
Annette was appointed Queensland Parliamentary Counsel in January 2016, and as head of the office is responsible for the drafting and publishing of all Queensland legislation.
Annette has significant experience in delivering the legislative program for Queensland Government agencies. She has 25 years’ experience in legislative drafting and statutory interpretation and has held senior drafting and leadership roles in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales throughout her career. Annette is Queensland’s member of the Australasian Parliamentary Counsel’s Committee.
Paul McFadyen
Deputy Parliamentary Counsel
Paul was appointed Deputy Parliamentary Counsel in 2014, and has more than 15 years’ experience in legislative drafting. As Deputy Parliamentary Counsel, Paul leads the preparation of legislation administered by the Departments of Agriculture and Fisheries; Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services; Education and Training; Energy and Water Supply; Environment and Heritage Protection; Housing and Public Works; Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning; National Parks, Sport and Racing; Natural Resources and Mines; State Development and Queensland Health.
Ian Larwill
Deputy Parliamentary Counsel
Ian was appointed Deputy Parliamentary Counsel in 2016 and has more than 26 years’ experience in legislative drafting. As Deputy Parliamentary Counsel, Ian leads the preparation of legislation administered by the Departments of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships; Justice and Attorney-General; Premier and Cabinet; Science, Information Technology and Innovation; Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games; Transport and Main Roads; Public Service Commission; Public Trust Office; Queensland Police Service; Public Safety Business Agency; Queensland Fire and Emergency Services; Queensland Ambulance Service and Queensland Treasury.