Cross River Rail executives jump tracks to ride The Wave
Welcome Brisbane Times’ Queensland’s public sector column, Public Circus, is where we aim to deliver frank and fearless insight from the depths of government bureaucracy to the top of One William Street and beyond. This week: a big project brings consultants, a tougher question for human rights HQ, brand 2.0 and more.
Right or wrong, the LinkedIn job update post is a fixture of modern working life.
It is less common for two new concerts to be announced simultaneously; especially if it involves the public sector.
But that was the same news shared by two people leaving the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority: Director of Strategic Commercial Management Ted Williamsand senior commercial manager David Kalinowski.
Jumping from a project relatively close to completion to becoming commercial directors of “The Wave” being built on the Sunshine Coast wasn’t remarkable enough.
The second issue that attracted attention in public sector circles was infrastructure consultancy.
“I am also excited to announce the launch of Nexus Infrastructure Partners, which has been formed with my partners,” Williams told his contacts. Shaun Gallagher and David Kalinowski.
“Nexus was founded with a clear purpose: to provide high-level, hands-on commercial leadership to complex infrastructure programs without the friction, overhead or dilution that larger consultancy models can bring.”
Kalinowski, who is a shareholder director and secretary according to corporate filings, also flagged the move in a similar post. Williams is listed as the firm’s only other director.
How they will find time to juggle both is an open question. Getting approval for the second hat is another thing.
Simple! The partial answer given by a spokesman for the Ministry of Transport and Main Roads is that the duo and the other two are not government employees at all.
“Four commercial directors of The Wave (Rail) have been appointed to their respective roles as contractors through an open market tender process,” the spokesman told Circus.
“They are not employees of TMR and therefore there is no conflict of interest.”
Further questions to the department managed to extract the additional detail that, yes, Williams and Kalinowski were engaged with The Wave through their shiny new firm, which the department said was standard practice.
We can’t help but think this might partly explain why Crisafulli’s massive push on consultants and contractors to save money and improve the public sector hasn’t gone so well.
Interestingly, Nexus’ “our people” website section doesn’t include any names yet, but its portfolio section clearly describes delivery authorization work and more.
We called out Williams and Kalinowski, who Circus has not alleged were involved in any wrongdoing, but have yet to hear back.
A more difficult question for human rights HQ
Queensland’s newly appointed human rights chief sat down with Circus for an exclusive debut chat last week, at the end of the first month of her career. Scott McDougall‘s old shoes.
One takeaway: Debbie Platz His five-year term as commissioner appears to be setting the Queensland Human Rights Commission on a less “combative” path.
This isn’t the first time he’s received such a title: his latest job as deputy commissioner of the Queensland police, where he started his career in the 80s, is particularly significant.
Look, commission latest annual report It shows that out of a total of 252 complaints accepted and resolved in 2024-25, 23 involved a police-related human rights violation.
When asked how he would deal with such issues that come across his desk, Platz said he had initially completed the standard conflict of interest declaration and had strategies in place should such a situation arise.
“There was only one in my entire three weeks [complaint] “We discussed this… as a management team and that was because the case was going to court,” he said.
“But despite this, my duty is as Commissioner for Human Rights.
“It’s not based on what I’ve done in the past, but I think what I’ve learned in these roles has prepared me very well for working with commission, so I don’t see that as a problem.”
We read brand 2.0 so you don’t have to
The Queensland government distributed Brand Book 2.0 last month; this 104-page document outlines — in excruciating detail — the instructions for the overwhelmingly blue branding.
From millimeter spacing on letterheads, to font style (Noto Sans, but god forbid that’s possible, Arial will do) and government branding in media releases for project funding announcements.
The overhaul of the brand has been seized upon ad nauseam by Labor as a sacrilegious abandonment of Queensland’s proud claret in favor of the dreadful blue worn by the cockroaches of the south.
The branding is also of course a very LNP blue hue and the uniformity of ‘Delivery to Queensland’ comes straight from the party campaign material.
The book discusses this (controversial?) color change and notes that the official declaration in 2003 that claret was Queensland’s state color was for state events or official events only.
According to 2.0, maroon is for sports and blue is for government.
“Departments should use the blue color palette as the dominant and defining color in all communications materials,” he says.
The new, long and detailed list of rules also triggered complaints to Circus that the strict new email signature format amounted to a blanket ban on artwork, including Indigenous-themed artwork.
Country Declarations are allowed in email signatures, but no logos, quotes, colours, images or fonts can be used.
Circus was told that artworks previously commissioned would now be thrown away, but the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said this was not necessarily true.
“Ministries and agencies may commission First Nations artworks for use if this aligns with their strategic objectives and the intended purpose of the artwork,” they said in response to questions.
Isn’t it just for email signatures?
Major workplace agreement talks grow
While the government has struck deals with many major labor forces over the past 12 months, talks with others have veered down more difficult paths or drifted into the abyss of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
But there’s more on the horizon. The most important of these is the State Government Bodies Certified Agreement, a “core agreement” covering the majority of ministerial staff and a small number of statutory bodies.
It is said that the negotiations, which will end on June 30, will begin at the end of January. The government insists it is committed to a “collaborative and constructive process” with a view to “an early solution so that wage increases can be paid as quickly as possible”.
Another agreement that will expire at the end of June is the non-sworn police agreement, which expires July 31, under which separate agreements apply to juvenile detention center youth workers, youth justice administrative workers and case managers, and their child safety counterparts.
With its big promises to respect the public sector, 2026 will be the second big year the government will deliver.
More Newman-era figures perform (more) in concert
We closely monitor their movements to and from various public institutions with government-appointed positions where the circus tent is large enough.
While some well-known names were involved in the latest rush (George Brandis (who chairs the Queensland Library Board, arguably the largest), a few others caught our attention.
One was a former deputy minister under Newman. Lisa FranceJoining his blue teammate and former Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman at the Queensland Board of Trade and Investment.
another one Ian WalkerHe served as Arts Secretary under Newman and replaced the public sector culture and accountability reviewer. Peter Coal Drake as president of the Queensland Performing Arts Center in October.
Walker joins the lucky group appointed to multiple posts by the Crisafulli government, becoming one of eight people appointed to the University of Queensland Senate earlier this year, along with the former premier. Annastacia Palaszczuk (person chosen for the role).
Another of these appointees is Ryan Haddrick – Deputy Prime Minister Jarrod BleijieHe served as interim chief of staff after the 2012 election, is currently a solicitor at Cedric Hampson Chambers, and was also appointed as an interim ordinary member of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal late last year.
Circus notes that four of the chamber’s eight lawyers, including the head of the CFMEU investigation, have been appointed by the government since the election. Stuart Wood KC, Robyn Sweet KC and Benjamin Kidston.
We’re sure you’ll get the other half in the mail soon.
Matt Dennien is a reporter covering state politics and public services for the Brisbane Times. He previously worked for newspapers in Tasmania and Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ. Contact him securely on Signal @mattdennien.15Connect via email.
James Hall is News Director of the Brisbane Times. He is a former Queensland correspondent for The Australian Financial Review and has covered a range of headlines across the country, specializing in political and financial reporting.Connect with: X or email.
