DUNGHUTTI man Josh Smith has been appointed chief executive officer of the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission following an extensive recruitment process.
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Josh has extensive law, justice and social policy experience and has led systemic reforms as a senior executive in the Victorian public service, most recently as Deputy Secretary, Aboriginal Justice at the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety.
He will start in his new role as CEO on June 21, and is a highly regarded leader who centres the experiences of First Peoples in his work.
The commission's key functions are to:
- Establish an official record of the impact of colonisation on First Peoples in Victoria using First Peoples' stories; and to
- Make detailed recommendations about practical actions and reforms needed in Victoria.
Josh will assist the Yoo-rrook Justice Commissioners to guide the strategic operation of the commission.
"I am immensely proud to be appointed as CEO of the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission, and look forward to making a valuable contribution in this exciting and unprecedented role in an organisation and process that is at the precipice of significant change in Victoria," Josh said.
The appointment of the CEO is a critical step towards the historic Yoo-rrook Justice Commission's truth-telling journey. Since May 14, the five Yoo-rrook Justice Commissioners have been working together to strategically apply their terms of reference and carefully consider the appointment of CEO.
The appointment of Josh will mean the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission can accelerate its establishment to formally start work on actioning its terms of reference.
"Josh will be a driving force in providing strategic advice to commissioners, and will complement our skillsets," Yoo-rrook Justice Commission chair Eleanor Bourke said.
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