Simone Walker is the Deputy Secretary of Strategy, Policy and Commissioning in the Department of Communities and Justice. This role includes the portfolios of Housing and Homelessness, Child Protection/Out of Home care, Domestic and Family Violence, Crime Prevention and Social Cohesion. This breadth of work is a great opportunity for Simone to focus on quality outcomes for clients and social justice.

Simone is directly responsible for delivering two Premier’s Priorities including Reducing Domestic Violence Reoffending and Increasing Permanency for Children and Young People living in out-of-home-care. Simone is also responsible for the overall coordination of all the Department of Communities and Justice Premier’s Priorities, with particular emphasis on the coordination of the cross cutting interventions and reporting to the Premier.

Simone began her career as a paediatric social worker in the Intensive Care (unit/ward) at Sydney Children’s Hospital. Simone has held a range of senior executive policy, strategy and operational positions in the NSW Government and non-government agencies.