Resignation of the Northern Territory Work Health Authority

The Northern Territory’s Work Health Authority, Mr Bill Esteves has resigned to take up the role of Chief Executive Officer with a Queensland Government owned commercial statutory authority.

Mr Esteves was announced as the head of NT WorkSafe in May 2020. Key contributions Mr Esteves has made in his time at the helm include:

• Developing and implementing the NT WorkSafe five year strategic plan to improve the Territory’s work health and safety outcomes.
• Implementing over half of the recommendations from the 2019 Best Practice Review of Workplace Health and Safety in the Northern Territory, including the restructure of NT WorkSafe which has improved operational performance.
• Obtaining consent from the DPP to commence the Northern Territory’s first Category One Prosecution, and first Industrial Manslaughter prosecution.
• Improving operational outcomes by as much as 800%.

Mr Esteves said working with finite resources, and with a vast geographical area to cover was incredibly challenging, however it was equally rewarding to see vast improvements to safety standards within the Northern Territory, as well as significant gains to operational efficiency and compliance outcomes over the last two years.

Mr Esteves thanks the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, the Department of Attorney-General and Justices CEO, Executive Leadership Team, Secretariat, and administrative staff for their continuous support, and for promoting safety and regulatory independence.  Mr Esteves is incredibly proud of the NT WorkSafe team and wishes the team and the interim Work Health Authority continued success.

Ms Peggy Cheong has been appointed the interim Work Health Authority commencing on Tuesday 14 June 2022 while national permanent recruitment to the position is undertaken.

Ms Cheong is a long-time member of the legal profession in Darwin, admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of the NT in September 1992, and is a partner with the local law firm Hunt & Hunt Lawyers.