Jenny Wilkinson to replace Steven Kennedy as Treasury secretary

The news: Department of Finance secretary Jenny Wilkinson will replace Steven Kennedy as Treasury secretary, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday. Kennedy will become secretary for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, replacing Glyn Davis.

The context: Wilkinson will be the first woman to take on the role of Treasury secretary. She has long been considered a potential successor to Kennedy, having been a former Treasury official during the pandemic period.

Kennedy, who is well-respected in Canberra, became Treasury secretary in 2019.

What they said: "I'm delighted that Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson have accepted my invitations to serve, and I do want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Glyn Davis, the outgoing secretary, for his service and his ongoing extraordinary contribution to our great nation," Albanese said at the press club on Tuesday afternoon.

He said they are "outstanding public servants" who "will continue to excel in their service to the nation".