Dr Paul Heithersay leads the South Australian Government’s Department for Energy and Mining. The new Department brings together the resources, energy and renewables divisions responsible for managing and regulating the State’s mineral, gas, petroleum and energy sectors on behalf of the people of South Australia.
The Chief Executive role also encompasses leading the Resources Infrastructure and Investment Task Force, a specialist team that works to secure investment in state significant projects involving mineral resources and downstream processing with recent examples being the Port Pirie’s Smelter Transformation and the Steel Task Force for Whyalla.
Previously, Dr Heithersay was deputy chief executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet where he was responsible for the Minerals, Resources, Energy and Economic Development divisions. He joined the South Australian public service in 2002, initially as executive director of the Geological Survey of South Australia within the Department of Primary Industries and Resources SA (PIRSA).
In June 2012, Dr Heithersay was awarded a Public Service Medal for his outstanding public service to the growth and development of the mineral resources sector in South Australia and in November 2012, elected to the Fellowship of the Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (ATSE). In October 2013, Dr Heithersay was awarded the prestigious Legend in Mining award for his role in guiding South Australia’s transformation into a major destination for investment in mineral resources and energy.
In 2014 the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG) appointed Dr Heithersay as the 2014 International Exchange Lecturer. This is the Society’s lectureship that is intended to bring leading economic geologists to lecture venues worldwide, to interact with economic geology professionals and students, and act as an ambassador for the profession and SEG.
Before joining the Public Service, Dr Heithersay spent more than 20 years in the mining industry in Australia and Southeast Asia and China for North Ltd and its predecessor Geopeko.
