John is a long serving Queensland and Commonwealth public servant and graduated from the University of Queensland with Honours Degrees in Law and Public Administration.
After serving as a private solicitor, John joined with Queensland Department of Justice in 1984 in the Policy and Legislation Division. Subsequently he served in senior roles in the Department of Justice, Department of Consumers Affairs and Department of Emergency Services.
He served as Deputy Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet between 1996 and 1998. During that time, he acted as both Director-General and Co-ordinator General on a number of occasions.
As a Member and Deputy President of the National Native Title Tribunal between 2000 and 2012 he mediated, arbitrated and negotiated native title claims and litigation throughout Australia. Between 2012 and 2015 he was the Director General of the Qld Dept of Justice and Attorney-General and then was Deputy President of the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
He brings to the role of Director General of the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning many years of experience in both the private and public sectors, particularly at senior executive level.