I am pleased to announce I intend to recommend to the Governor-General that she appoint Mr Matt Yannopoulos PSM as Secretary of the Department of Finance.

Mr Yannopoulos returns to the Department of Finance, after serving as the Associate Secretary of the Department of Defence since October 2021.

Prior to joining the Department of Defence, Mr Yannopoulos was Deputy Secretary Budget and Financial Reporting at the Department of Finance. In this position, he provided policy and financial advice to the Australian Government on expenditure and non-taxation revenue policy issues.

As an experienced senior leader within the Australian Public Service, Mr Yannopoulos brings diverse experience to the position.

In January 2019, Mr Yannopoulos was awarded a Public Service Medal for his substantial achievements as Deputy Secretary, Senior Responsible Officer for the Child Care Reform Implementation at the Department of Education.

Mr Yannopoulos’ term will commence on 29 September 2025 for a five-year period.

I would like to thank Mr Richard Windeyer for acting as Secretary of the Department of Finance since June 2025. Mr Windeyer will return to his position of Deputy Secretary of Commercial Group at the department.