April Canberra Managers’ Forum

Deputy Secretary Business Transformation, Department of Veterans Affairs

Charles McHardie is the Deputy Secretary of Business Transformation for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

He is responsible for the digital enabled and business led transformation of the services delivered to Veterans’ and their families under the multi-year Veteran Centric Reform Programme. He also is responsible for the department’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO) functions.

He was previously the Acting Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer at the Department of Human Services. In these positions he was responsible for the delivery of ICT supporting the department’s Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support programmes, as well as managing a large portfolio of ICT projects for social services and health programmes.

Charles is a highly experienced public service and military professional with more than thirty years of knowledge in managing complex operational and ICT environments.

Prior to joining the Australian Public Service, Charles enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the Royal Australian Navy, retiring in April 2015 after 30 years of service alternating between ICT, Intelligence positions and operational postings.

Charles was deployed three times to the Middle East in Australia’s contribution to Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom as well as operations in East Timor.

Charles was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011 for services to Naval Warfare and awarded a commendation for distinguished service in 2014 for his Command of Combined Task Force 150, responsible for Coalition Maritime Counter Terrorism Operations based in Bahrain.

He holds a Master of Science (Information Technology) from the University of New South Wales, a Master of Systems Engineering from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Arts (Strategic Studies) from Deakin University.