A “realignment” of the Federal Court’s corporate bureaucracy has been unveiled.

CEO Sia Lagos told the judges that two new corporate “leadership roles” have been filled.

Since late 2023 former Defence and Home Affairs official Jimmy Mastorakos has been the court’s Executive Director of People, Culture and Communications, on about $200,000 pa – a post memorably held by former ferry-master, Darrin (Chainsaw) Moy.

Jimmy has now moved up several leaps and bounds to the job of Executive Director Strategy and Programs (SES2), well north of $300,000 pa.

That puts him in charge of “strategic planning”, governance, organisational change, finance, and the vexed Court Path.

Jimmy has been busily shipping over troops from the Commonwealth public service, including many from Home Affairs – which has seen some of the court’s existing staff jump ship and others queueing to do so – as was the case when Darrin came aboard.

By all accounts there’s a fair amount of turmoil. This is a small smattering of arrivals and promotees:

Jane Sandry (acting SES band 1)
Tuan Nguyen (promoted to app 6)
Alexander Jolly (promoted to aps 6)
Luke Wilson (promoted to apd 6)
Karen Chow (acting EL2)
Scott Metcalf (promoted to aps 5)

Cara Lawson has also been lassoed from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice to take on the job Executive Director Corporate Operations at the FCA (SES2).

That takes in Jimmy’s old job at People, Culture and Communications, plus library services, property, procurement and security.

Sia sent a herogram to the highly regarded Paul Kennedy, who filled in as head of Corporate Operations during the “transition to a new structure”. In fact, he’s transitioning to the newly invented position – the Executive Director of the Strategic Program Office.

It sounds vague, but apparently his job is to “support the courts and tribunal … through the delivery of the Corporate Services strategic priorities”.

Paul was actually senior to Jimmy, but the “realignment” means that he is now reporting to Jimmy.

It seems Jimmy has the shell-like ear of Sia, who has been slated to depart in May 2027, according to an announcement by Chief Justice Debbie Mortimer.

David Mackay, Dep. Sec. of Sport, Territories and Regions in the Department of Infrastructure was on the selection panel, along with Sia, David Pringle the CEO of the FCFC and Paul Farrell the senior national judicial registrar and district registrar for NSW and the ACT.

Mackay was the Public Service Commissioner’s representative on the panel, and was there to ensure the avoidance of appointments that could raise questions at Senate Estimates.

Our sleuths also advise that media stories critical of the Federal Court’s administration frequently are omitted from the daily press clippings distributed to their Hons and staff.

Here’s Sia’s internal memo about the appointments … 

We did put a series of questions to the court seeking to flesh out the bare details we had to hand:

•  How many people have been recruited by the entity from the Department of Home Affairs since Mr Mastorakis joined the entity?

•  How many of these people have been promoted during this period?

•  How many people have left since Mr Mastorakis joined the entity?

•  Is it correct to say Paul Kennedy was not consulted about the decision to create the new role of Executive Director Corporate Strategy & Programs?

•  Is it accurate to report that Mr Mastorkais is now senior to Mr Kennedy – or that Mr Kennedy is now answerable to Mr Mr Mastorakis?

•  Can you list Mr Mastorakis’ key achievements over the past two years?

•  Can you describe how Court Path is progressing?

•  Is it still intended that CEO Sia Lagos will leave in May 2027 consistent with the announcement made by Chief Justice Mortimer earlier this year?

•  Is it correct that stories critical of the Federal Court’s administration are omitted from the daily clippings circulated to judges and staff?

Back came a boilerplate reply:

“The recruitment process followed the rigorous requirements of making senior executive appointments in the Australian Public Service and was undertaken with due probity and was conducted extremely thoroughly.

The appointments were made by a selection panel comprised of senior representatives and a highly experienced senior independent external panel member representing the Australian Public Service Commissioner.

A large number of applications were received, and the calibre of the candidates was exceptionally high. The successful candidates are highly deserving.”

Over and out.