Robyn Kruk

Robyn Kruk
AM
Secretary of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
In office
March 2009 – 14 September 2010
Personal details
Nationality Australia Australian
Alma mater University of New South Wales
Occupation Public servant

Robyn Kruk AM (/ˈkrʌk/) is a retired senior Australian public servant and policymaker.

Background and early life

Kruk graduated from the University of New South Wales in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Honours).[1]

Career

Kruk began her career in the NSW public sector in 1980.[1] In July 2002 she was appointed Director-General of the Department of Health.[2] She was in the role at the time of the Camden-Campbelltown hospital crisis, when whistleblower nurses made accusations that 19 deaths at the hospitals could have been avoided.[3]

At the end of her NSW public sector career she was Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.[4] When Kruk left her top position in the Premier's department in 2008, the media reported that she told Premier Nathan Rees she no longer had the energy and commitment to continue.[5][6] Shortly after, media stated that Kruk may have been concerned at excessive union influence and at the prominence of the NSW Finance Minister Joe Tripodi in mini-budget discussions.[7]

Kruk was appointed Secretary of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (later Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) in March 2009.[8] During her time at the department, she oversaw the Energy Efficient Homes Package, a program beset by controversy after four workers died in separate accidents linked to program installations and house fires were caused by insulation fitted poorly under the scheme.[9][10] From September 2010, Kruk was suffering from cancer,[11] and had to take extended sick leave from the role, with Paul Grimes acting in her position.[12]

On her return to work in 2011, following successful cancer treatment,[11] Kruk was appointed the CEO and Commissioner of the newly established National Mental Health Commission.[13][14]

In 2014, she appeared before the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Program.[15]

Awards

In 2005, Kruk was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to public administration in New South Wales.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 New South Wales Government Department of Premier and Cabinet Annual Report 2007–08 (PDF), Department of Premier and Cabinet, November 2008, p. 27
  2. ↑ NSW Department of Health Annual Report 2004–05 (PDF), November 2005, p. 5, ISBN 0 7347 3875 7, archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2011
  3. ↑ Clennell, Andrew (27 February 2010). "Dry resolve in the face of crisis". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Archived from the original on 6 May 2010.
  4. ↑ About us, Defence Abuse Response Taskforce, 6 September 2013, archived from the original on 28 January 2014
  5. ↑ Hildebrand, Joe (16 October 2008). "Nathan Rees axes Premier's Department head Robyn Kruk". The Daily Telegraph.
  6. ↑ Clennell, Andrew (17 October 2008). "Top public servant too tired to continue". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Archived from the original on 29 April 2010.
  7. ↑ Salusinszky, Imre (21 October 2008). "Top NSW bureaucrat Robyn Kruk disillusioned". The Australian (News Corp Australia).
  8. ↑ Pearlman, Jonathan (26 December 2008). "Rudd picks senior officials who quit NSW bureaucracy". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Archived from the original on 5 June 2009.
  9. ↑ Maiden, Samantha (22 February 2010), "Top bureaucrat Robyn Kruk defends insulation scheme", The Australian (News Corp Australia), retrieved 4 February 2010
  10. ↑ Department head says sorry for insulation deaths, Australian Broadcasting Commission, 22 February 2010, archived from the original on 4 February 2014
  11. 1 2 Gillard, Julia (1 June 2011). "Departmental Secretaries" (Press release). Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  12. ↑ Keane, Bernard (15 September 2010). "Minimal change in the bureaucracy as the Canberra arrangements are settled". Crikey. Archived from the original on 28 January 2014.
  13. 1 2 Butler, Mark (30 May 2013). "RETIREMENT OF ROBYN KRUK AM" (Press release). Archived from the original on 28 January 2014.
  14. ↑ Kruk, Robyn, Speaker: Ms Robyn Kruk AM, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Mental Health Commission Our National Investment in Mental Health - transcript, Comcare, archived from the original on 13 February 2014
  15. ↑ "Bureaucrat sorry for home insulation deaths". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Australian Associated Press. 28 March 2014. Archived from the original on 29 March 2014.
Government offices
Preceded by
David Borthwick		 Secretary of the
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
2009 – 2010 		Succeeded by
Paul Grimes
as Secretary of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
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