It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the passing of the current Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint, Ms Janine Murphy. Janine passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning after suffering from a long illness.
Janine was an exemplary public servant who had a distinguished 33 year career in the Treasury and, most recently, as the head of the Royal Australian Mint.
Janine served Australia, and our economy, in many capacities and was widely respected by Governments and Ministers on both sides of politics.
Among many other roles, Janine led the Foreign Investment Division of Treasury between 1998-2000 and represented Australia as the Treasury official at our Embassy in Washington D.C. between 2000-2006.
As the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint since March 2006, Janine again served with distinction.
With Janine at the helm, the Mint has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, culminating in the opening by the Governor-General, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, of the fully refurbished Mint facilities this coming Wednesday.
I am very certain that this opening is an event that would have made Janine very proud and the much-improved, more accessible Mint will stand as a testament to her work.
Janine was also a leader in progressing the prominence of women in the senior ranks of the Australian Public Service and was one of only a small number of female officers ever to be appointed to a Senior Executive Service Band 2 position in the Treasury.
Janine's warmth, compassion and energy will be missed at the Mint, at Treasury and across the Australian Public Service.
I wish to express the sincere condolences of the Government to Janine's husband, Jim, and their two children, Olivia and James, at this most difficult time.
On behalf of the Government, I will attend a Memorial Service to be held in Canberra on Friday.