INTHEBLACK May 2026 - Magazine - Page 18
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“If people see that you govern the project
with an eye to those risks, they can see
that there is a point to all this. It is not just
frameworks for the sake of it. This all helps
to deliver the outcome.”
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18 INTHEBLACK May 2026
A FOCUS ON DELIVERY
In his supervision of Australia’s finances,
Yannopoulos has one overarching goal:
to deliver on the government’s agenda
of the day, which is set by the Prime Minister
and various ministers.
For now, that means improving the
productivity of the Australian economy,
an issue that has been a sticking point for
governments of all persuasions in recent
times. There is also a commitment to mitigate
the burdens of regulation, including red
tape and compliance costs for businesses,
while preserving necessary safeguards
and delivering quality outcomes for all
Australians. Regulation, he concedes,
can “accumulate over time” and may not
be efficient, “so I have a specific role to
pursue regulatory reform options”.
In a nod to his technology background,
Yannopoulos also wants to champion more
extensive and effective adoption of artificial
intelligence (AI) in the public service.
In pursuit of such goals, he can draw on
the lessons passed down by mentors such
as fellow CPA Martin Bowles, a former
secretary of the departments of Health and
Immigration (who encouraged him to expand
beyond IT and technology roles to embrace
finance); and Greg Moriarty, the secretary
of the Department of Defence, who has been
named Australia’s ambassador to the United
States (who extolled to Yannopoulos the
virtues of teamwork and partnerships).
Yannopoulos’s experience underlines the
importance of surrounding yourself with
people you can trust. “They will help you
when you need to make difficult choices.”
AI AND PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION
Given the scale and significance of
Yannopoulos’s responsibilities, which will
include reforms to improve the sustainability
of the National Disability Insurance Scheme,
it is fair to ask if he ever gets a good
night’s sleep.
“Rest assured that I usually do,”
Yannopoulos says, “because I have a
great team”.
To take some of the pressure off
government staff while driving efficiencies,
Yannopoulos is counting on smarter,
safer and more widespread use of AI
to help public service departments. He is
optimistic about generative AI improving
public administration, noting that it is
already helping to summarise huge volumes
of submissions and briefing materials “that
normally tie up 25 people just to read them
all”. The technology advances should also
cut administrative workloads and improve
call-centre efficiency across government
departments via automated call summaries.
Like many other leaders, Yannopoulos
believes it is crucial to keep a “human in
the loop”. AI should assist decision-making,
not replace human judgement, especially
when Australians’ eligibility or entitlements
are concerned.
With accounting running in his blood
(Yannopoulos’s father was a tax accountant),
it is fitting that another of his passion
projects is to lift financial and accounting
literacy across the public service, including
skills related to reading budgets and
understanding the financial elements
of service delivery.
“One of the things I think about as
a CPA is how to build broader financial
acumen, because that is essential in advising
government, particularly in the economic
environment that we find ourselves in,” he
says. “It is challenging.”
As he ponders potential future success,
Yannopoulos says it is “energising and
humbling” to be leading the Department of
Finance after starting in the junior ranks
of the public service. He is intent on making
a difference to the way the department is
governed, not only for efficiency’s sake,
but for the benefit of the people. “That is
a great opportunity as a new secretary.” ■
