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

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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


Download BRC Announces CEO' Departure, Interim Leadership Appointed PDF version


By Lis Clough July 23, 2025
Barkly Regional Council was honoured on Monday night, receiving the distinguished Royal Life Saving Society NT President’s Award , at the 2025 Administrator’s Medal Awards at Government House, Darwin. This recognition comes as the future of the Tennant Creek Public Pool faces uncertainty. The event, hosted by Administrator to the Northern Territory, His Honour Professor the Honourable Hugh Heggie AO PSM , and Ms Ruth Jones , celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the Royal Life Saving Northern Territory, honouring six decades of commitment to water safety across the Territory. The Award received by the Council was in recognition of outstanding service to water safety and drowning prevention in the Barkly region. “A huge congratulations to our incredible pool team. Your hard work, passion, and community-first approach is deeply appreciated and now formally recognised.” said Mayor Sid Vashist. Despite this moment of celebration, the Council reflected on the critical challenge of ensuring the continued provision of this essential aquatic service for the community. The Mayor stated: “Our regional pool is the only public pool available in the 1,200km stretch between Alice Springs and Katherine. It services not just Tennant Creek, but a vast portion of the Barkly region — providing a vital space for cooling down, learning water safety, exercising, better health outcomes, and building community connection.” “Unfortunately, the infrastructure that supports this pool is ageing and beyond economic repair. The pump room — the heart of our operations— is failing. This puts immense strain on keeping the pool open, especially during our harsh summer months when temperatures soar past 40°C. When the pool isn’t operational, we know how frustrating that is for the whole community.” The Barkly Regional Council has been proactively working with the community on designing a new aquatic centre as a long-term solution, however the short-term goal is urgent State Government funding to replace the failing pump room. While at the event, the Mayor took time to meet with Jinson Charls , Minister for People, Sports and Culture to present the pool business case for this much-needed infrastructure upgrade. “While our people do incredible work, as this Award proves, they need the right tools and functional infrastructure to support them.” said Mayor Sid Vashist. “We’re committed to delivering better facilities for our region — because the Barkly deserves it.” Barkly Regional Council is responsible for fostering sustainable development and delivering essential services to over 8,000 residents over 322, 713 square kilometres across the Northern Territory.
By Lis Clough July 14, 2025
In accordance with the Local Government Act 2019 (NT), the Barkly Regional Council is currently undertaking the recruitment process for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). To support this important appointment, Council has established a CEO Review Committee. To ensure a transparent, fair, and robust process, the Committee is seeking to appoint one Independent Member with relevant subject matter expertise. We are now inviting Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified and respected individuals to join the Committee as its Independent Member. About the Role The Independent Member will play an advisory role throughout the CEO recruitment process, providing impartial insights and contributing to the assessment of candidates. This includes participating in shortlisting discussions with the external HR firm handling the CEO recruitment, contributing to interview panels, and supporting deliberations on final recommendations to Council. Selection Criteria Applicants should be able to demonstrate: Proven experience in executive recruitment, governance, or working at or with senior executive levels; Strong understanding of the local government context in the Northern Territory; High standards of integrity, impartiality, and confidentiality; A commitment to community-focused leadership and culturally responsive engagement; Knowledge of the Barkly region and its diverse communities is highly desirable. Time Commitment The Independent Member is expected to be available for a limited number of meetings between late July and early September 2025, including in-person or virtual interviews and Committee deliberations. How to Apply Interested individuals are invited to submit a short Expression of Interest (maximum 2 pages), outlining their relevant experience, knowledge, and motivation for joining the Committee. A current resume may also be attached. Please also indicate any fee you would propose for representing yourself on the committee. EOIs must be submitted by 5:00pm (ACST), Friday 25 July 2025.  All applications must be sent directly to: The Mayor Email: Sid.Vashist@barkly.nt.gov.au S u bject line: EOI – Independent Member, CEO Review Committee
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