He previously served as secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development from September 2017 to August 2019.
[1][2][3] Kennedy helped convince the Morrison government to implement JobKeeper during the COVID-19 pandemic.
[4] In 2024, it was reported that Kennedy is the 7th most highly paid Australian public servant (when Executives working at government business enterprises are excluded).
Earning $959,257, Kennedy is behind Glyn Davis (Prime Minister and Cabinet), Jan Adams (Foreign Affairs and Trade), Greg Moriarty (Defence), Natalie James (Employment and Workplace Relations), Tony Cook (Education), and Jim Betts (Infrastructure).
[5] Kennedy grew up in the town of Murwillumbah, on the NSW north coast.