In his role in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Martin plays a key role in identifying and protecting Australia’s unique heritage, primarily focused on First Nations cultural heritage, cultural landscapes and iconic natural places.
Martin studied a Master in Forestry, which included undertaking a review of the Australian forestry sector’s performance since the Industry Commission’s 1993 Adding Value to Australia's Forest Products Inquiry Report.
Since his return to the APS, Martin has moved into heritage where he has brought valuable expertise and insights on ways to utilise environmental science to protect the landscapes that support Australia’s rich First Nations cultural heritage and our unique flora and fauna.
Martin’s goal is to advance the voice and self-determination of First Nations communities across Australia, particularly in areas where First Nations people are able meaningfully contribute to the decisions that affect Country. Since his return, Martin has overseen a number of highlights including leading the Australian Government’s efforts to recognise internationally the wishes of the Butchulla people to reclaim K’gari as the traditional name for Fraser Island; the appointment of First Nations people to advisory boards for World Heritage places; and leading the development of funding agreements with state agencies to eradicate invasive pests from sensitive ecosystems.
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Australian National University
Master of Public Policy
Kayannie is Aṉangu Luritja with strong family and cultural ties to Bagarrmuguwarra and Kuku Yalanji Bama of Cape York. She is an experienced executive level leader and has led policy, research, program and grants management teams since joining the APS in 2015. She also has experience as a political staffer and in the not-for-profit sector. Kayannie graduated with a Master of Public Policy from The Australian National University in 2022.
Kayannie works at Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and the Arts, where she is responsible for visual arts and design policy and delivery of the Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) Program. She joined the APS in 2015 after relocating from Far North Queensland and prior to moving to Canberra, had never considered a career in the public sector. Kayannie is passionate about creating and leading high-performing teams and championing the unique role that Indigenous staff play in mainstream APS agencies to deliver outcomes to all Australians.
PhD title: Empirical Essays in Intergenerational Mobility and Early Childhood Human Capital Formation
Nathan’s PhD research focused on intergenerational mobility—the extent to which economic outcomes pass from parents to children. Building on the work of past scholars, he worked with the ATO to build Australia’s first intergenerational tax dataset. His research has been published in leading economics journals, including a forthcoming paper in the Journal of Economic Literature and published papers in American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, Labour Economics, Economic Inquiry and the Economic Record.
Prior to his PhD, Nathan worked in Treasury in a variety of roles across social and tax policy, including as a Departmental Liaison Officer in the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer’s Office. On returning, Nathan played a central role in establishing its microdata units as a founding Director. These units have produced influential work on the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and policy response, including published research on labour market scarring and the effect of the JobKeeper program.
The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation is a partnership between The Australian National University, Charles Darwin University and the Australian Public Service.
