Media Release - Barkly Regional Council Announces CEO's Departure, Interim Leadership Appointed

Barkly Regional Council today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Chris Kelly has resigned from his position and will be returning to Townsville, Queensland. Mr. Kelly has outlined the reason for his resignation is due to his 12-year-old son and wife, that are missing him dearly, and his eldest daughter who is expecting their first grandchild.

During his tenure, Mr. Kelly has been able to take Council from a $12m deficit last FY to a surplus in just one year. He has also delivered a staggering number of projects across the Barkly, and increased staff engagement and alignment from a mid-point to the top 10% of councils from across Australia (benchmarked against 76 studies).

Mr. Kelly has also been a strong advocate for the economic growth of the region and has left Council with a succinct regional plan that will continue to support the region into the future.

The Council thanks Mr. Kelly for his contributions and wishes him well in his future endeavors.

Mr. Kelly’s last day in the role will be 11 July 2025.

Barkly Regional Council will commence an immediate and thorough recruitment process to find a permanent Chief Executive Officer.

In the interim, the Council is pleased to announce that Ms. Susan Steele has agreed to serve as an interim CEO. Ms. Steele brings a strong background in executive leadership in local government, Aboriginal Corporations and has held many other positions such as a long-standing senior Director at QLD Health. Ms. Steele brings her wealth of experience to the role, having served as the Council's Director of Community Services, and her leadership will ensure a smooth transition and continued operational excellence from Council during this period.

"We are grateful to Chris and his dedication to our region over the past year," said Barkly Regional Council Mayor, Sid Vashist. "We are also incredibly fortunate to have someone of Susan Steele's calibre step into the Acting CEO role. Her deep understanding of our council and region will be invaluable as we navigate this transition and search for our next long-term leader. For Barkly Regional Council, it is business as usual".

Further announcements regarding the recruitment process will be made in due course.

Barkly Regional Council is responsible for fostering sustainable development and delivering essential services to over 7,000 residents over 322, 713 square kilometers across the Northern Territory.

Contact:

Lis Clough - Admin & Media Officer, Barkly Regional Council

Lis.clough@barkly.nt.gov.au

Tel: 0408 139 908

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