Services Australia CEO Rebecca Skinner to retire at the end of September, Bill Shorten announces

"Today, I write to share with you my decision to retire from the Australian Public Service," Ms Skinner wrote in an email to staff on Tuesday.

"I have loved being your CEO and serving with you.

"A highlight of my career will be our service to Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Ms Skinner joined the agency on March 16 2020, and played a key role in guiding it through the fallout from robodebt, which operated between 2015 and 2019.

On Friday, Ms Skinner delivered an apology to staff at the government's service delivery agency for the "unfair toll" the scheme had on them collectively and individually.

She said she was "deeply" and "sincerely" sorry for the "heavy burden" carried by all staff, whether they had worked on the scheme or joined the agency in the aftermath.

In her retirement announcement, the retiring Services Australia boss said she had not expected to land in the top job.

"Leaving University with a Bachelor of Science degree in my hand, I never would have imagined that this is where I would end up," she wrote.

Ms Skinner began her 30-year-long APS career in Defence, before working in the the Attorney General's portfolio, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and then returning to Defence, where she became an associate secretary.

She received a Public Service Medal in 2021 for her contribution to national security policy, intelligence, business transformation and service delivery.

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"I know how hard you work, how much you care, and how deeply your wish for the agency to succeed on behalf of Australians goes," she wrote to staff.

"I've felt all of it from the first time I walked in the door."

She added that many staff had been in the agency a long time and "seen the wheels of leadership turn, and turn again."

"What remains, regardless of leadership is this: Australians need the payments and services we provide. They need your kindness, hard work and integrity. Your colleagues do too."

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten issued a statement recognising Ms Skinner's retirement and service on Tuesday.

He touched on her leadership of the transition to the new myGov platform, emergency response following devastating floods across eastern Australia, the COVID-19 pandemic and the delivery of cost-of-living measures.

"Services Australia employs more than 28,500 staff. This year alone the agency has processed $219.5 billion in payments, as well as handling 1.1 billion online transactions and 55 million customer calls," Mr Shorten said in a statement.

"Importantly, Ms Skinner has been instrumental in transforming the agency post-Robodebt. Under her leadership, Services Australia is becoming the customer-centred agency Australians need."

"I sincerely thank Ms Skinner for her service and wish her well in her next endeavours," Mr Shorten said.

"An acting CEO will be appointed in due course and normal processes followed to find a new CEO to continue this important work."

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