The National Capital Authority (NCA) is a small agency of just over 54 staff with a diverse set of skills, all highly valued. As an agency responsible for numerous functions from planning and estate management to front of house tours for the general public our people are highly motivated and engaged in the work they do and proud of the things they deliver. We will continue to support them enhance their skills and capabilities as we work through our census results and make improvements to make NCA an even greater place for our staff. NCA's Census results can be found at the bottom of this page.
The NCA has three (3) branches:
Chief Executive Office
This branch is responsible for external communications and engagement, events and place activation as well as legal and governance services. We encourage, approve and regulate events and temporary traders on National Land, including Lake Burley Griffin. Annually the NCA approves over 1,000 events on National Land.
Branch Management
Chief Executive | Sally Barnes
Public Affairs | Gina Cruz
Visitor Experience | Suzanne Hannema
Director Governance and Legal Services | Tania Martin
Planning and Design
This branch is responsible for preparing and administering a National Capital Plan (the Plan), keeping the Plan under constant review and proposing amendments to it when necessary.
Also responsible for preparing planning policy, master plans, development control plans, assess works approval applications and monitor the quality of buildings and other developments. Each year, we deal with 300 to 400 works approval applications.
We also administer and manage leases, licences and venues. We manage licence agreements for Commonwealth Place, the National Capital Exhibition, Commonwealth Park and Acton Peninsula. We also administer diplomatic leases in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The NCA's capital works also sits within this branch. The program includes regular maintenance, works to enhance or protect national assets, construction of public infrastructure and development of the landscape settings for new building sites, public parks and places, commemoration and celebration.
Branch Management
Chief Planner | Andrew Smith
Director Statutory Planning and Heritage | Ilse Wurst
Director Strategic Planning | Rebecca Sorensen
Director Design and Construction | Rob Tindal
Operations
Responsible for maintaining and managing some of the capital's most nationally and culturally significant landscapes and attractions. These include the National Triangle, Anzac Parade, Lake Burley Griffin, Scrivener Dam, Commonwealth and Kings Parks, Acton Peninsula, Yarramundi Reach, Stirling Park (Gura Bung Dhaura) and the Diplomatic Estates in Yarralumla, Deakin and O'Malley.
The newly formed Business Systems team is responsible for database and IT management including but not limited to the NCA's Asset Management System and WAEL (the Online works approval system).
Branch Management
Chief Operating Officer | Hamid Heydarian
Director Estate Management | Sujie Song
Director Built Assets | James Walsh
Director Finance and Business Resources | Robert Gehrig
