Kiersten Fishburn has been reappointed as acting secretary of the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

Ms Fishburn unexpectedly left the then DPIE in December 2021,  less than two months after being appointed secretary by then Premier Gladys Berejiklian and was replaced with Michael Cassel, who had been CEO of the Land and Housing Corporation.

Mr Cassel is understood to be ‘taking a period of leave’ from DPE.

Since her 2021 departure Ms Fishburn has been deputy secretary Cities and Active Transport with TfNSW.

Urban taskforce CEO Tom Forrest said it was good to see Ms Fishburn back.

Mr Forrest said during her brief time as the head of the old DPIE, Ms Fishburn played a leading role in driving cultural change in Planning and Local Government.

“As CEO of the Urban Taskforce, I look forward to once again working constructively with Ms Fishburn, as A/Secretary of DPE, towards a fresh focus on the delivery of housing supply to alleviate the ongoing housing affordability crisis,” he said.

Further comment has been sought from DPC.

*A statement from the DPC later confirmed Mr Cassel was taking leave. “Peter Duncan, Acting Secretary, Premier and Cabinet has appointed Kiersten Fishburn, Deputy Secretary, Cities and Active Transport at Transport for NSW to be Acting Secretary until further notice,” a government spokesperson said. Ms Fishburn begins in the role on May 15.