Our secretary - Victoria Anderson
Victoria Anderson was appointed secretary on 8 December 2025.
Victoria has more than 25 years’ experience in public policy and governance roles, including 17 years in the agriculture portfolio.
She has held several senior executive roles in the Treasury, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment and the Department of Agriculture, covering housing, small business, employment and population policy, foreign investment, national schools reform, risk and governance, fisheries, drought policy, agricultural trade policy and industry assistance and adjustment.
Victoria also serves as a Commissioner of the Australian Commission for International Agricultural Research, having been appointed in October 2026.
Victoria commenced in the Australian Public Service as a graduate in the Department of Agriculture in 2000. Her interest in Australian food and fibre industries is longstanding, having grown up on a stud beef cattle property in Queensland.
She has a Bachelor of Arts/Laws (Hons) from the University of Queensland and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University.
Deputy secretary - Kerren Crosthwaite
Kerren Crosthwaite is the department's Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary of the Corporate and Enabling Group. Kerren has been a senior Australian Public Service leader for more than 20 years, with broad and diverse experience. During that time, she has worked in various portfolios including Prime Minister and Cabinet, Finance, Treasury, Agriculture, and Employment and Workplace Relations.
Kerren has designed, delivered and led policy and programs in housing, drought and farm resilience, regional development, public service and parliamentary service employment and integrity, and workplace relations.
Kerren is also the department's Gender Equity inclusion champion.
Kerren holds a Master of Public Policy and Management from Monash University, and a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics from Murdoch University. She is also a previous Margot McCarthy Scholar.
Deputy secretary - Tina Hutchison
Tina Hutchison is the Deputy Secretary of the Agricultural Trade and Regulation Group, leading more than 1,800 staff across Australia and in 15 countries around the world to secure and grow Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry trade.
Tina has more than 25 years' experience within the department having worked from an entry level in the Australian Public Service to become Deputy Secretary. She is highly respected for her broad corporate knowledge gained from experience in agricultural, biosecurity, trade, and regulatory roles.
Tina is committed to fostering a safe and healthy workplace culture, with a strong focus on people and is the department’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) inclusion champion.
As Deputy Secretary, she is responsible for enabling Australian agriculture, fisheries and forestry exports—worth $85 billion to the Australian economy in 2025–26.
Tina is committed to maintaining and growing trade opportunities for Australian producers and exporters, to diversifying Australia’s international market access, and to increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the agricultural trade system.
Deputy secretary - Matt Lowe
Matt Lowe is the Deputy Secretary for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy Group. The group is responsible for the Agriculture and Food, Fisheries and Forestry, Productivity and Sustainability and Farm Resilience divisions, as well as ABARES.
Matt is also the Care and Ability inclusion champion.
Matt joined the department from the Victorian Government where he was the Chief Executive of Agriculture Victoria and the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. There he led responses to support the agriculture sector through avian influenza, floods, COVID-19 and the development of the Victorian Government’s 10-year Agriculture Strategy.
With more than 20 years' public sector experience, Matt has worked in senior roles spanning infrastructure, economic and social policy in central agency and professional services firm EY.
Matt holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) and Science from the University of Melbourne.
Deputy secretary - Justine Saunders
Justine Saunders joined the department in February 2024 as Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity, Operations and Compliance Group following an accomplished career at the Department of Home Affairs and Australian Border Force. She held various Deputy Secretary/Deputy Commissioner roles, including Chief Operating Officer, where she led corporate and assurance functions and Australia’s COVID Border Measures Group.
Justine played a key role establishing the National Emergency Management Agency in 2022 and serving as Coordinator-General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency. She also held senior roles with the Australian Federal Police, including Chief Police Officer for the ACT, and contributed to counter-terrorism, strategic policy, and represented Australia as Police Adviser to the United Nations in New York.
As our First Nations inclusion champion, Justine is committed to advocating for better outcomes, inclusion and cultural safety for First Nations peoples. Justine endeavours to provide visible leadership, support culturally informed initiatives, and help embed inclusive practices across programs and workplaces.
She holds a Master of Leadership and Management, a Bachelor of Social Science with Distinction, a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Outside the public sector, she serves as a patron and non-executive director in the not-for-profit sector and on a customer-owned mutual bank.