Mr Smiggle – head of HR at Region. Image: Region.
It’s been a busy week for a news hound, and we have busy lives, so let’s get right into the juicy news around the traps.
Hide and seek at the end of the week
As reported first here at Region, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet quietly released the review into parliamentary staffing a week ago without any fanfare at all and right before the weekend. It was buried along with a media statement from Finance and Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher.
My sources tell me there was some to-ing and fro-ing over whether to hide the report or go big with it. Against some internal opposition, they all but kept mum about publishing the review, which all but guaranteed we news hounds would sniff it out and wonder why all the secrecy.
You can read the report here and try to answer that question yourself.
It’s not all in the delivery.
Talking about Minister Gallagher, she delivered a ripper of a speech to senior public servants attending the Institute of Public Administration Australia national conference yesterday (Thursday).
New initiatives announced, praise delivered and challenges issued.
The Minister’s office will be patting themselves on the back for crafting a well-shaped address well delivered.
There are also a few happy bods at the departmental level who are feeling more than chuffed right now about their roles in writing such a good speech.
Playschool comes to the public service
The Institute of Public Administration Australia’s national conference consumed the last three working days of this week, with senior public servants from across APS agencies gathering to be instructed in their craft.
It was all serious stuff, with the Public Service Minister, the APS Commissioner and a lineup of department secretaries and deputies addressing the conference.
Very serious, indeed … Unless you happened to be there for the opening keynote session from a young think tank talking about AI and the future. More like future shock.
Two enthusiastic and obviously intelligent young women jumped up and down on stage and talked to their audience of very senior public service types like they were kindergarten children.
Over-rehearsed lines and massively exaggerated expressions – accompanying corny lines and awkward laughs – were a touch embarrassing.
What was IPAA thinking?
Marking time for Marcus Clarke
And no one’s back inside 50 Marcus Clarke St yet. No sign either when they might be.
Damage from flooding was pretty extensive, but the delays in fixing it all seems more like a case of bureaucracy gone mad.
Too many requisition forms to fill out and way too many people involved in making decisions. Must be the public service.
Smiggle out.
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