Adelaide, South Australia, October 2025 – The Department for Housing and Urban Development has announced the appointment of Joanne Male as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With a distinguished career spanning over two decades in public sector finance, systems reform, and corporate governance, Joanne will play a pivotal role in driving the Department’s financial strategy, infrastructure investment planning, and governance frameworks to support housing growth and urban renewal across South Australia.
Joanne Male brings extensive public sector and financial leadership experience, underpinned by her proven track record in managing large-scale budgets, operational transformation, and policy-driven service delivery.
Before joining the Department for Housing and Urban Development, Joanne served for nearly eight years at the Department for Child Protection, South Australia, where she most recently held the role of Chief Financial Officer. In this position, she led a multi-disciplinary directorate responsible for managing a $650 million budget and over 2,300 FTE, while overseeing procurement, contract management, licensing of children’s residential facilities, and facilities management across 250+ sites. Her work played a critical role in ensuring safe, sustainable care for South Australia’s most vulnerable children and young people.
Earlier within the same department, Joanne served as Manager of Financial Systems and Compliance, leading the development and integration of complex financial systems and overseeing compliance and reporting functions during the formation of the department.
Before her tenure in child protection, she held the role of Manager, Business Operations (Mental Health) at the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), managing all non-clinical operations for a directorate employing 700 staff with a $100 million budget. Her leadership strengthened financial control, operational efficiency, and business continuity across major health sites, including the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Glenside Health Services.
Joanne also contributed significantly to SA Health, where she held multiple roles over nearly five years, including Finance Manager – Interfaces and Reporting, overseeing the payroll integration of 40,000 employees and implementing complex system upgrades across seven agencies. Her earlier career included taxation and advisory positions at KPMG Australia and BDO in Australia, where she built a strong foundation in corporate tax, compliance, and business advisory services.
About the Department for Housing and Urban Development
The Department for Housing and Urban Development leads South Australia’s strategy to coordinate and accelerate housing for all South Australians. Working across government and with industry partners, the Department focuses on enabling faster development pathways, investing in critical infrastructure, and ensuring policy alignment to support sustainable growth.
Its key responsibilities include advancing planning and development processes, driving government-led housing projects, and removing barriers to private sector construction. By facilitating collaboration between public agencies, councils, and developers, the Department aims to build inclusive communities, support economic growth, and ensure housing accessibility across urban and regional South Australia.
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