Stephanie Foster is to take over from Phillip Gaetjens as Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet while the announcement of a new secretary is to come.
Stephanie Foster, the deputy secretary of the department was caught winking in a Senate Estimates hearing in October last year.
During questioning by Greens senator Larissa Waters over what Prime Minister and Cabinet officials knew of former attorney-general Christian Porter’s anonymous legal bill donor, a public servant glanced right and appeared to wink in the direction of a government minister Senator Birmingham.
Foster replaces Phillip Gaetjens for a time who has been widely criticised as being a political appointee, having served as Chief of Staff to then-Treasurer Peter Costello between 1997 to 2007.
Callum Foote is a journalist and Revolving Doors editor for Michael West Media. He has studied the impact of undue corporate influence over Australian policy decisions and the impact this has on popular interests.
