'Just do it': Former treasury secretary calls for effective gas tax A 'liberated' Ken Henry has told a new Senate select committee to 'stop the crap' and raise a tax on the gas industry.

Alternate headline: Ken Henry channels Shia LaBeouf in Senate inquiry.

#ausnews #auspol

Ahmed Fahour paid $10.8 million after quitting as Australia Post CEO Ahmed Fahour was handed almost $11 million after quitting as Australia Post CEO earlier this year. The severance package, twice what he had been expected to get, came amid political and community upro...

Be careful what you wish for!

www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08...

APSC battles to bury remainder of Pezzullo investigation The Australian Public Service Commission is arguing that disclosures about a once-in-a-generation code of conduct investigation would harm future inquiries.

I spent two days listening to the @mrrexpatrick.bsky.social and the ASPC contesting the release of more of Lynelle Briggs' investigation into former secretary Mike Pezzullo.

Here's what I heard.

#auspol #ausnews

Australian public sector CEOs now world's highest-paid Australian public sector bosses are now the highest paid in the world, following a US executive order cutting utility boss's pay.

$3.3 million always seemed like a lot of money for running Auspost to me. Turns out, by international standards, it is.

#auspol #ausnews

Tasmanian public servants reach pay deal with government CPSU Tasmania members have voted up a new enterprise agreement, after almost a year of bargaining with the state government.

Another state public service pay deal over the line, this time in Tasmania.

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What we know -- thanks to FOI -- about Mike Pezzullo misconduct at Home Affairs, from @mrrexpatrick.bsky.social

Contempt for democracy:

"Parliamentary route is now contaminated with few exceptions. We need to build a meritocracy by stealth and run government from the bureaucracy."

Central agencies offer redundancies across APS DCCEEW is the latest federal agency to confirm redundancies ahead of the May budget.

This is another one of those stories where a lot of the mystery disappears when you just read budget paper 4. Admittedly, not all.

This is also your first yearly reminder ASL is not FTE, or headcount. It's meant very little since the cap was removed in 2022.

#ausnews #auspol

Auditor-general finds familiar problems in local roads fund The government isn't demonstrating good value for money from the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, says Caralee McLiesh.

Every report on local transport infrastructure says virtually the same thing, just in different degrees. Here's the latest from the ANAO.

#auspol #ausnews

Dear Journalists, please stop saying Trump has "singled out Australia and other countries".

What do you think "singled out" means?!

#ausnews #auspol

Tasmania's public servants walk off the job CPSU Tasmania members are taking protected industrial action amid combative pay negotiations with the state government.

This is the third public service strike I've covered in six months. APS bargaining is slated to start this year. If I were the federal government, I'd be taking note.

#auspol #ausnews

(2/2) I'm told governments of all stripes simply don't engage with the point.

Without weighing in on what a "fair" deal is for public servants, I think any good faith deal starts with acknowledging the material reality. If the ACT or Tas think a real pay cut is fair, they should say so.

Battleground emerges between ACT public servants, government Union members have rejected an offer that would have put them further behind their APS counterparts.

(1/2) There's a question I ask every time I do stories about public sector bargaining -- How does the government explain or justify giving the people who gather and analyse their economic data real wage cuts in an agreement?

#auspol #ausnews

Posting my regular apology to colleagues, sources, and friends for dropping off the radar. It's not you, it's my lack of social skills and time.

Tasmania to make right to information a little less slow Tasmanian cabinet documents could be released after 20 years under RTI, down from the current 25. In other states, it's 30 days.

Could not bring myself to write a headline that in any way suggests that 20 years is any way "fast".

South Australian public service union leaders detail road to victory PSA SA leaders Charlotte Watson and Celia Brougham detail how they went from disgruntled public servants to leading a march on Parliament House.

This interview had a few twists and turns I wasn't expecting. Including a bank holdup, and a frank discussion about public sector union tactics.

#auspol #ausnews

NSW cabinet secretary clarifies record-keeping carveouts Kate Boyd has clarified the state's advice on disappearing messages and cabinet-in-confidence exemptions.

And now for something completely different

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Movers & Shakers: Treasury counts on executive refresh SBS chair appointed, Queensland's legal leaders, Canadian PM turns over central agency bosses, Helen Silver to library board.

Biggest public service appointments of the week.

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Vibe checks out.

www.themandarin.com.au/309484-robod...

What the NACC said about each of the robodebt six NACC deputy commissioner Kylie Kilgour expressed scepticism about the conclusions of the robodebt royal commission. Here's what she said about the six.

I'm getting the vibe this hasn't landed as win for transparency and justice NACC were hoping for.

I'll be rounding up reactions today, so if you or your organisation group have anything to add to this, send your statements to dholmes@themandarin.com.au.

#auspol #ausnews #NACC

Fat cats: What public servants really make The median serves as a useful proxy for what a typical public servant earns in a given place. The average can also serve as a useful proxy for what a government spends on its workforce.

Get in loser, we're doing high school stats today.

Our definitive guide to public sector salaries across Australia The methodology, footnotes, and caveats behind how we collated and calculated the data and comparisons of the professions, pay grades, and priorities.

Emerging from my government report dungeon today with this.

I've catalogued the published salaries for every government job in Australia, and compared pay across jurisdiction, and professions. There's also a bunch of data on the top earners in every juristiction.

#ausnews #auspol

GET OUT

India AI Impact Summit starts with a bang India's AI ambitions are on full display, and Australian tech policy is proving influential in the world's largest democracy.

I attempt to follow the many moving parts of the India AI Impact Summit

#ausnews

Alright, @markgkenny.bsky.social , calm down😂

Universities endorse ATEC, with conditions Stakeholders support the creation of an Australian Tertiary Education Commission, provided its independence is clearly established and protected.

ATEC is one of those things that's really flown under the radar in the media. I think folks are really underestimating the scale of change this would bring to the universities sector.

That is, if the changes being pushed by most of the sector are adopted.

#auspol #ausnews

Ahem

@thebigjohnnyd.bsky.social give me a job writing jokes for like three people

2/2 The word 'cabinet' still proves effective transparency dodge for APS

Estimates dominated by dog whistling at deeply uncomfortable bureaucrats.

Opposition continues to confuse committee rooms for court, APS for crims.

Privacy for public officials over public interest, government says.

Honest headlines nobody wrote about Senate estimates this week:

Machinery of government continues to confound politicians, including ministers

Government sends Minister representing who doesn't know the portfolio to avoid awkward questions.

DEWR dodges questions on secretary's dismissal DEWR officials have declined to answer questions about secretary Natalie James' sudden departure from the department.

DEWR still mum on secretary's departure.

#auspol #ausnews