Warwick Arthur Watkins (1950–2019) was a disgraced senior New South Wales public servant and former member of the Australia national rugby union team, the Wallabies.
[1][2] Watkins was selected in the Australian Rugby team, the Wallabies, and was a reserve in the three Test match Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand in 1980 held in Australia.
[1] Watkins held a range of senior New South Wales public service positions including: He also held a range of inter-governmental appointments including Deputy Commissioner of the Murray Darling Basin Commission 1992–95, Chair of the Total Catchment Management Coordinating Committee and Deputy Chair of the CSIRO Water for a Healthy Country Flagship Board.
In the week prior to his dismissal, Watkins resigned from his positions as NSW surveyor-general, registrar-general and commissioner of the soil conservation service.
Watkins admitted to ICAC he had used a letter backdated by former planning minister Tony Kelly to mislead investigators.
[3][4] On 20 June 2011, ICAC announced that it would hold a public inquiry into matters arising from the purchase of property at Currawong, Pittwater by the NSW Government.
ICAC found that the Minister for Lands Tony Kelly engaged in corrupt conduct with respect to the purchase of the property by the NSW Government.
As the property purchase should not to be undertaken during the caretaker period, the legitimacy of authorisation was quickly raised within the senior levels of the public service.
[15] Arising from ICAC's investigation and DPP advice, it is significant that only Watkins would face criminal charges and be convicted.
[19][20][21][22] Watkins was Chairman of ANZLIC, the Australian New Zealand Land Information Council, 2000–2011, when he was dismissed from the NSW Public Service.
[24] ANZLIC, under Watkins’ chairmanship, instigated the national Spatial Information Industry Action Agenda and received federal ministerial endorsement.
Watkins during 1998-2000 worked closely with Gary Nairn, Member for Eden Monaro 1996-2007 and subsequently Special Minister of State 2006-07 to advocate federal government support for the agenda.
It was also reported that O’Keeffe had approved an illegal $100,000 contract with ASIBA to “lobby her own Minister” Sherryl Garbutt to promote the Spatial Information Industry Action Agenda.
[29][30] Under the national Spatial Information Industry Action Agenda, CRC-SI was established in 2003 and launched by Nairn after significant advocacy by ANZLIC led by Watkins and also ASIBA.
[31] On 14 August 2007, Nairn, in his role as Special Minister of State, announced the establishment of ASC, with initial membership including ANZLIC, ASIBA and CRC-SI.
ASC was reported as being established “to accelerate the unlocking of the potential of spatial information for economic, environmental and social benefit for Australia within key industries, and the development of tools, new technologies and capabilities relating to the fundamental future needs of the nation.” The actual role and achievements, if any of ASC, remain vague.