Katherine Jones PSM is Secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department. Katherine commenced in this role in August 2021. Prior to her appointment as Secretary, Katherine was the Associate Secretary of the Department of Defence. She was appointed to that position in June 2000, where her portfolio included oversight of the Chief Information Officer, Chief Finance Officer, Deputy Secretary of Defence People and Deputy Secretary of Estate and Infrastructure. In addition, Katherine was responsible for Defence enterprise planning, performance and risk management functions, and the integration of all corporate enabling services which included the delivery of the Defence Transformation Strategy and the Defence Data Strategy.

Before joining the Department of Defence, Katherine was the Deputy Secretary for Business Enabling Services in the Department of Finance. She held that role since October 2017. Katherine has practical experience in delivering shared services in government and was responsible for delivering whole of government digital systems to support collaboration and customer service, including the innovative GovTeams platform.

Katherine has also held senior positions in the Attorney-General’s Department including as the Deputy Secretary responsible for National Security, Criminal Justice and Emergency Management, the head of the International Crime Cooperation Division and the head of the Social Inclusion Division with responsibility for policy and programs across Indigenous justice, native title, legal assistance and human rights.

In 2017, Katherine received a Public Service Medal for her outstanding contribution in the field of national security.

She has a Bachelor of Arts from La Trobe University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales. Before joining the public service in 1999, Katherine spent more than a decade in educational and academic publishing as a sponsoring editor and publisher at the McGraw Hill Book Co.