Craig Limkin, the former head of the now-abolished Department of State Growth, has left the Tasmanian State Service after months in limbo following a major public service shake-up.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff confirmed Limkin’s departure this morning.
Pulse understands the government reached a mutually agreed separation with Limkin.
Rockliff did not initially reveal whether Limkin received a payout, despite estimates that a termination payment could have been worth between $1.09 million and $1.4 million based on the time remaining on his five-year contract and his reported total remuneration of around $569,000.
In response to questions from Pulse, a state government spokesperson said Limkin received “a gross payment before tax of $579,057”.
“Mr Limkin was paid a severance payment in line with his contract and a payment for leave entitlements and superannuation,” the spokesperson said.
Rockliff praised Limkin’s seven years of service across the Department of Premier and Cabinet and State Growth.
“Mr Limkin’s commitment to serve the Tasmanian community has been front and centre across a range of critical and complex issues and I and my colleagues thank him for his service to our State and wish him well in the next stage of his career,” he said.
Limkin was appointed State Growth secretary in October 2023 after a nationwide recruitment process on a five-year deal.
Around two and a half years remained on that contract when Rockliff announced in March that State Growth would be scrapped and replaced by Building Tasmania.
Limkin was not named to lead the new department.
Instead, he began a period of leave from March 7 while senior bureaucrat Shane Gregory stepped in to run the transition.
Limkin remained on leave.
During budget estimates, the premier declined to reveal whether it was paid annual leave or discuss Limkin’s employment arrangements.
Building Tasmania formally launched on July 2 with Gregory in charge, but Limkin’s future has stayed unresolved until today’s announcement.
Before taking the State Growth role, Limkin worked at the Department of Premier and Cabinet from 2019, overseeing major policy areas including the state’s COVID-19 recovery.
He received the Public Service Medal in the 2023 Australia Day Honours for his pandemic response work as Tasmania’s State Recovery Adviser.
