Key points
- Charles McHardie is leaving Services Australia to become the Reserve Bank of Australia’s chief information officer from October 19.
- His last day at Services Australia will be September 19, with Claire Roennfeldt taking on interim CIDO responsibilities.
- McHardie joined Services Australia in early 2020 and led the welfare payments infrastructure transformation, a major Centrelink payments technology overhaul.
Services Australia’s IT and digital chief of over four-and-a-half years Charles McHardie is leaving to take up the vacant IT leadership role at the Reserve Bank.
In a brief statement, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said McHardie would begin as chief information officer (CIO) on October 19.
His last day at Services Australia will be September 19, at which time Claire Roennfeldt will take on the interim CIDO responsibilities.
RBA’s last CIO Stephen Smith retired in June after five years in the role.
McHardie will lead RBA’s IT function and the delivery of technology services at the central bank.
“Over the past decade, Charles has overseen the technology and digital infrastructure that supports the delivery of government services to millions of Australians, driving significant transformation and innovation, including technology solutions that enabled rapid responses during the pandemic,” RBA said in a statement.
McHardie started at Services Australia in early 2020, just as the pandemic started to take hold, and initially led transformation activity, before transitioning into the CIDO role.
Upon joining in 2020, he notably took the reins for the welfare payments infrastructure transformation (WPIT), a major Centrelink payments technology overhaul.
A Services Australia spokesperson said that during McHardie’s time as CIDO he “has led the largest technology workforce in the Australian government.”
“He has driven the agency’s digital and technology transformation, delivered ICT solutions supporting Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support, and managed a large portfolio of ICT projects for social services, health and shared service partner programs,” the spokesperson said.
“Services Australia thanks Charles for his extraordinary contribution to the agency and the APS [Australian Public Service] more broadly.
“We wish him all the best in the future.”
McHardie has a long career in federal government ICT and transformation, with stints at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Services Australia’s predecessor the Department of Human Services, and Defence.
He also had a distinguished career in the Royal Australian Navy, specialising in ICT and intelligence as it relates to naval warfare.
