Executive Management Group

Dr Mathew Trinca was appointed Director of the National Museum of Australia in February 2014. He was reappointed for a further five years in December 2018. Dr Trinca was the Acting Director of the National Museum from 2 July 2013. Previously he was an Assistant Director with responsibility for collections acquisition, management and preservation; redevelopment of permanent galleries; temporary and travelling exhibitions; and curatorial and research activities. Dr Trinca has published papers on the history of Australian travel to London and on museums and their meaning, and has co-edited two books, Country: Visions of Land and People in Western Australia (2002) and Under Suspicion: Citizenship and Internment in Australia during the Second World War (2008). He is the Co-Chair of the Australia Singapore Arts Group, an Executive Member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Australia, and a member of the boards of the Canberra Convention Bureau and Canberra Writers Festival.

Ms Stephanie Bull was appointed to the role of Deputy Director in May 2018. She was Chief Operating Officer since 2016, in which role she oversaw the delivery of corporate functions at the Museum and the development of the CCSSC. Ms Bull commenced her public sector career in the Department of Defence, before moving to the Australian War Memorial. She joined the Museum in 2004, managing the Museum’s exhibitions and gallery redevelopment program, and went on to expand the Museum’s international exhibitions and partnerships program.

Ms Fiona Dalton was appointed Acting Assistant Director, Corporate Services and Operations, in June 2018. She joined the Museum in 2007 as the Legal Services Manager. Since 2015 she has managed the Museum’s governance program, overseeing corporate and business planning and performance reporting, as well as the provision of secretariat and policy support to the Museum’s Council and EMG. Ms Dalton began her public sector career in the Department of Health, and possesses a broad range of experience working as a government lawyer and policy officer. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Laws from the Queensland University of Technology, and a Master of Laws (specialising in International Law) from the Australian National University.

Ms Katherine McMahon was appointed Acting Assistant Director, Collections and Discovery, in June 2018. She joined the Museum in 2017 to oversee the delivery of the Museum’s major gallery renewal program. She worked at the Australian War Memorial from 2002 to 2017, where she played an instrumental role in developing the strategic direction of the exhibitions program. Ms McMahon oversaw a $70 million program of gallery revitalisation over a 10-year period, which included the $32 million redevelopment of the historic and heritage-listed First World War galleries. She has worked in the public sector for 24 years and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Art History and Curatorship) from the Australian National University.

Ms Ruth Wilson was appointed Acting Assistant Director, Public Engagement, in June 2018, having previously worked at the Museum as the Acting Assistant Director, Collections and Content, and the Associate Director, Visitor Services and Development, since 1 February 2016. Ms Wilson has an extensive commercial background in both the private and public sectors, including a wealth of cultural agency experience from previous executive positions at the National Gallery of Australia and, more recently, at the National Portrait Gallery.

Commonwealth entities are required to disclose remuneration information for key management personnel, senior executives and other highly paid staff in their annual reports in accordance with the PGPA Rule, sections 17CA–17CE.

Principal Executive Officer (PEO)

Remuneration for the Museum’s Director is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal (RT), which is responsible for setting the classification band and reference rates for PEOs.

The Museum’s Council is deemed the PEO’s employing body. The Council, after seeking the views of the Minister, determines total remuneration for the Director. In determining total remuneration and performance pay, the Council must have regard to the RT’s policies, guides and determinations, especially:

• Performance Remuneration Guidelines
• Guidelines for Making a Submission
• Guide to the Principle Executive Office (PEO) Structure
• Remuneration Tribunal Determination 2019: Principal Executive Office — Classification Structure and Terms and Conditions
• the Total Remuneration Reference Rate.

The remuneration components for the Director comprise:

• a total remuneration rate of between 10 per cent below and 5 per cent above the reference rate set by the RT. (Remuneration above this range requires a submission to, and written consent of, the RT)
• a maximum of 15 per cent performance pay based on verifiable measures for assessing performance.

Senior Executive Service (SES) employees

Remuneration for SES employees is set consistent with the Workplace Bargaining Policy 2018 (WBP), issued by the Australian Public Service Commission. Under section 24(1) of the Public Service Act, the Director is responsible for setting the remuneration for SES employees. Annual pay increases are aligned to the amount received by non-SES employees under the National Museum of Australia Enterprise Agreement 2017–2020.

The remuneration component for SES employees comprises a total remuneration rate with a notional amount for superannuation. However, if the person is in a defined benefit scheme, then the rules of the scheme apply.

The Director reviews the total remuneration increases annually, with regard to the outcome of the employee’s performance assessment measured against the established performance agreement. Remuneration is benchmarked against the Australian Public Service Remuneration Report.

Highly paid staff

Remuneration for highly paid employees is consistent with the WBP. The Director is responsible for setting remuneration for these employees through an Individual Flexibility Agreement (IFA) made under the National Museum of Australia Enterprise Agreement 2017–2020.

The remuneration components may comprise additional remuneration or non-monetary benefits (e.g. flexibility in leave arrangements) or a combination of both. Any such remuneration components would be consistent with the WBP and benchmarked against the Australian Public Service Remuneration Report.

There were no highly paid staff (within the meaning of the PGPA Rule) employed by the Museum in 2018–19.

Museum executive

Council members