Treasury boss Caralee McLiesh to become Australia’s Auditor-General

Treasury Secretary Caralee McLiesh (left) and Finance Minister Nicola Willis, accompanied by Treasury's Dominick Stephens and Struan Little, making their way into the Budget lock-up in May. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Chief executive and secretary to the Treasury Caralee McLiesh has been appointed Auditor-General for Australia.

McLiesh will begin her new role, which has a 10-year term, on November 4, after finishing her five-year term at the Treasury on September 15.

A month ago, McLiesh unveiled she wouldn’t seek reappointment and planned to return to Australia, where she is from.

The Australian Governor-General appointed McLiesh to the powerful position on the recommendation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

“Supported by the Australian National Audit Office, the Auditor-General is an independent officer of the Australian Parliament and is responsible for auditing Commonwealth entities,” a statement from Albanese’s office said.

“The Auditor-General plays an important role in upholding accountability and transparency.”

The announcement came as New Zealand’s Public Service Commission published an advertisement for the top job at the Treasury, which the Herald understands Finance Minister Nicola Willis had a lot of input into writing.

The ad said a “change agent” was being sought.

“The next secretary will be willing to challenge the status quo to lift performance and find innovative solutions to challenges,” it said.

“You will play a critical role advising ministers on policies and reforms to lift economic performance, improve productivity, reduce cost of living pressures and extract better value for money from taxpayers’ funds.

“You will be a thought leader who will lead and drive the Government’s economic agenda. You will be well-connected to key parts of the New Zealand economy, including the business sector.

“You will be highly engaged with developments in the New Zealand and global economies in order to provide prompt, actionable advice to ministers.”

The firm HardyGroup is involved in the recruitment process.

Deputy secretary Struan Little will become Treasury secretary pending a permanent appointment.

Last month Willis thanked McLiesh for her service.

“Dr McLiesh guided the Treasury through the Covid-19 pandemic and worked with this Government to deliver the 2023 Mini Budget and Budget 2024 in a shortened timeframe,” Willis said.

“I am grateful to Dr McLiesh for her professionalism and calm leadership during difficult economic times, and I have valued our positive working relationship ... I wish her all the very best for her future.”

Meanwhile, Albanese credited McLiesh with having more than 25 years of experience across the government, international, not-for-profit and commercial sectors.

He noted that in 2017, McLiesh was awarded a Public Service Medal in Australia for “outstanding public service to social impact investment policy and reform in New South Wales”.

Before she started her role at the New Zealand Treasury in 2019, McLiesh was managing director of TAFE New South Wales, a vocational education and training provider, and a deputy secretary with the NSW Treasury.

Jenee Tibshraeny is the Herald’s Wellington business editor, based in the parliamentary Press Gallery. She specialises in government and Reserve Bank policymaking, economics and banking.