ANU alumnus appointed NSW Electoral Commissioner

An Arts and Law alumnus from The Australian National University (ANU) has been named as the next Electoral Commissioner of New South Wales.

John Schmidt, who holds a Bachelor of Arts ('77) and a Bachelor of Laws ('79) from the ANU plus an MA from the University of Sydney, has held numerous roles in the Commonwealth and NSW public service. Among them was five years as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), which targets money laundering and counter-terrorism.

After graduating from ANU, Mr Schmidt worked as a solicitor in a private practice for two years, before joining the Australian Taxation Office. He has also held senior positions in the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Cabinet Office and Department of Fair Trading.

NSW Premier, Mike Baird, said a reformed NSW Electoral Commission will have “appropriate investigative functions and a clear mandate to institute criminal and civil proceedings for breaches of electoral laws.

“In John Schmidt we have a person with the right skills and experience to lead the organisation into the future.”

Mr Schmidt will begin his seven-year term in August.