Liverpool City Council has appointed Jason Breton as its CEO.
Mayor Ned Mannoun said the appointment – confirmed by a unanimous vote of council – followed an exhaustive process led by an external consultant.
"I want to thank my fellow members of the selection panel for their hard work – Deputy Mayor Peter Harle and Councillors Sam Karnib, Dr Betty Green, Fiona Macnaught and Peter Ristevski.
"There were more than 100 applicants for the position, which shows that Liverpool Council is held in high esteem as a preferred place of employment.
"It says a lot that a boy who grew up on one of the city's toughest streets - Nagle Street - can then go on to be the CEO of the local Council.
"Jason Breton has been Acting CEO for the last 12 months and after a lengthy career in the police force, he moved into the private commercial sector and came to his hometown council as its Director of Operations.
"In that time, Mr Breton has amply demonstrated his talent for strategic oversight and staff leadership.
"His appointment comes at a challenging time for Council as we seek to gain the best outcomes for our residents in this fast-growing region.
"As Acting CEO, Mr Breton has already brought much needed improvements to the city, and he now has a solid mandate to bring improvements to the way Council gets things done."
Mr Breton said he was looking forward to the challenges and rewards of the role.
"Council will be exploring diverse revenue streams, ensuring transparent financial reporting and involve community in budgeting priorities.
"The Council needs to prioritise strategic urban planning that's future-proof (smart cities, green space, transport), collaborate with state and federal bodies for funding and alignment and seek community consultation on major developments to reduce backlash.
"Taking over as the CEO of Liverpool City Council in NSW is a huge responsibility — and not without its challenges.
"The area is fast-growing, multicultural, politically complex, and undergoing rapid urban development.
"However I know my team well, they know me, and in the short term I will be concentrating on improving our front line operations, so that our residents get the level of service they deserve.
Profile - Jason Breton
Jason Breton left the NSW Police as a Detective Chief Inspector and moved into project management, gaining a Master's degree in risk management from UNSW.
He launched his second career with senior appointments at Downer, Hitachi and Metro Trains Sydney, which he left as Acting CEO.
In 2022 he joined Liverpool City Council as its Director of Operations, giving him direct oversite of one third of the Council workforce.
After leading Liverpool's frontline workforce during its most challenging period, Jason was appointed Acting CEO in April 2024 – a twelve-month job interview that has culminated in his appointment as Liverpool City Council's CEO.
He can see his childhood home from his new office in Civic Place Liverpool.
With his brother (now a local Magistrate) and his parents, he lived in a two-bedroom unit in one of Liverpool's toughest neighbourhoods – Nagle Street. That was the first of numerous Liverpool addresses.
His tough early life included a period of family homelessness spent in Lansdowne Caravan Park at Warwick Farm and a series of rental homes in Casula. He knows the tough side of Liverpool and its communities from the ground up.
When his mother contracted terminal cancer and his parents left the city for the bush, the two brothers (by now both Constables in the NSW Police Force) shared a unit in Hart Street, Warwick Farm.
They both played hockey at Clinches Pond, Moorebank, football for the Liverpool City Robins and then later for Southern Districts at Ern Smith Reserve.
Promoted through the ranks to Sergeant he served locally, at Green Valley Police Station in late 2000 before joining the detective branch and progressing through the ranks to Detective Chief Inspector, and when appointed was the youngest DCI in the force.
In his own words
"I am proud my '10 Pound Pom' parents settled in Liverpool and Southwest Sydney, where opportunity and growth were abundant for those who wanted to take them up.
This City has some work to do now to emerge as one of the Country's most important regions.
It will grow organically with our new Airport but needs everyone across Government to realise its potential – it is Australia's demographic and social mirror, and I am pleased to see its reflection throughout our work with Council.
"My red mullet and BMX bike are no longer seen in Liverpool, but I am now proud to walk its streets as the new CEO of Liverpool City Council.
I appreciate the confidence placed in me by the Council, and it has endorsed my vision and approach for our workforce: a dedicated team who strive to provide our residents and ratepayers with great service.
