Nothing to see here, guv
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Dr Phil Lowe has revealed that whatever it is he keeps under his mattress, it’s definitely not $100 notes.
At a National Press Club address in Sydney, one of our reporters asked Lowe what his take was on Australians hoarding high-value notes. Lowe’s response?
“There are roughly 18 [x] $100 notes out there for every man, woman and child in the country. I don’t have my share and I don’t know many people who do! It’s hard to know where they are,” Lowe said.
.@TheMandarinAU's Julian Bajkowski asked@RBAInfo boss Phil Lowe about the circulation of $100 notes in the Aus economy. "The incentive for holding $100 bills at home, under your bed, is less [because of interest rates]," Lowe said. #NPC #APS #APSnews https://t.co/XP5T1slkKE
— Melissa Coade (@Coadem) April 5, 2023
The Reserve Bank boss went on to explain that interest rates had seen the growing circulation of $100 notes in Australia, at about 6-7% each year, stop. Whether that would remain the case was hard to tell, he added.
“Partly, that’s higher interest rates. If you can get 4.5% on your transaction deposit […] the incentive for holding hundred-dollar bills at home, under your bed, is less,” Lowe said.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream – AOFM boss can’t work on an empty stomach
The Mandarin’s Felicity Neale used to work as the editor for Australian Office of Financial Management CEO Anna Hughes when both worked at Standard & Poor’s (now S&P Global).
Felicity tells us that one time in the S&P office, the now-AOFM boss wandered over to the editorial area and casually asked, “Guess what I had for dinner last night?”
After a few wrong guesses from her colleagues, Anna supplied the answer:
“A packet of chips and a Magnum.”
The dinner of champions.
‘This isn’t a political plaything’: Linda Burney slams Peter Dutton’s comments on the Voice
The opposition (true to their name) has decided they will not support a ‘Yes’ campaign to change the constitution or support an enshrined Voice to Parliament.
Perhaps unsurprising to most of us who are following the discourse on the pending referendum to give constitutional recognition of Australia’s First Nations people, but it nevertheless is dispiriting because it means the one thing we can bank on between now and November is a lot of divisive debate.
In making a formal announcement that the Liberals would oppose the referendum, Peter Dutton suggested the prime minister was the one who was the person “dividing” the nation.
“The Liberal party seeks to divide our country. We want to make sure that we can get the best possible outcomes for Indigenous Australians,” the opposition leader said on Wednesday.
“We do that through recognising Indigenous Australians in the constitution and by providing for their say, their voice, to be heard by government in a very clear way — but at a local level.
“Having a Canberra voice is not going to resolve the issues on the ground, in Indigenous communities,” he said.
MPs from all sides have expressed their dismay about the opposition’s negative rhetoric and misinformation. Even Sky After Dark’s Chris Kenny supports the ‘Yes’ campaign.
Independent senator David Pocock said the Liberals’ stance showed a “heartbreaking lack of leadership”, and condemned what he said was an inexcusable characterisation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart as a “divisive Canberra Voice”.
“The Uluru Statement from the Heart (that put forward the Voice to Parliament) is the result of years of consultation by First Nations people with First Nations people right across the country,” Pocock tweeted.
Indigenous minister Linda Burney cited more recent examples of efforts to meaningfully engage the opposition in the referendum process. She said Dutton had met with the prime minister seven times and did not once offer any suggestions to change the amendments or its words.
“We believe that we have worked very closely, and I have had many meetings with the shadow minister, and our door has always been open — we’ve made that extremely clear,” Burney said.
“Let’s remember, the Ulruru statement has not fallen from the sky in the last six months – it was released to the Australian people as an invitation almost six years ago.
“There have been at least 10 years of reports, lots of work, lots of committees that have brought us to today,” she said.
Burney said the government would hold the referendum sometime later this year, between October and December. She added that she was committed to ensuring there was a mechanism that would move the dial on the “unacceptable” Closing the Gap targets in Australia.
“At the end of the day, this is not a political plaything. This is a decision that the Australian people will make.
“There is enormous support and momentum in the Australian community for this referendum. People want to live in a country where there is proper recognition of an amazing gift that Aboriginal people bring to this country – the old continuing surviving culture on the planet.”
I’m deeply disappointed that the Liberal party have joined the Nationals to oppose Indigenous constitutional recognition.
They’ve chosen to refuse us the fairness of a Voice.
I’m no less confident that we can succeed – it’s the Australian people who will ultimately decide.
— Thomas Mayo (@thomasmayo23) April 5, 2023
Earlier this week, the APSC published a guidance note for public servants to remind them of their responsibilities when expressing their views on the referendum in a private capacity. It cautioned government workers against sharing an “extreme expression” of any one view — advising against expressing “extreme criticism or praise” in support of the Yes or No campaigns.
“APS employees, like all Australian citizens, are entitled to express personal views on the merits of the various positions on the referendum question. APS employees have a lot to offer the public conversation as an informed and engaged cohort,” the guidance reads.
“In engaging publicly, you should ensure that your conduct is lawful, that it is clear you are expressing your own views, and that your engagement does not conflict with your public service role.”
Maybe it will be the private sector that can manage to help advance the social fabric and vision of this nation better than our politicians.
Secretaries aren’t singing from the same song sheet on LinkedIn
While we’re on the subject of public servants being active on social media, we all got a giggle when the post of a Queensland director general started attracting the attention of some of our newly minted secretaries.
Mike Kaiser, who leads the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government & Planning, shared a photo of a Rod Stewart gig he recently attended.
The post gave us a glimpse into the fun-loving music fan’s civilian interests, and it won more than 100 thumbs-ups, including the likes of ANZSOG boss Adam Fennessy and Queensland Treasury Corporation’s Bill Brett.
Infatuation video never looked so fresh!! Enjoy it my friends ❤️ https://t.co/9nmAi7qa9U
— Sir Rod Stewart (@rodstewart) March 1, 2023
More amusing, though, was this jibe from Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts secretary Jim Betts:
“I think my struggling campaign to be the coolest secretary just got a boost,” wrote Betts, who was previously described by another paper as a “one-time punk rocker”.
Kaiser conceded to the dig: “I’m no match,” he replied, with a laughing emoji.
Enter stage-left DEWR secretary Natalie James, who gave everyone a run for their money: “Appealing to the daggy dad vibe!?” she lobbed back at Betts.
It’s all good fun aboard the APS steamliner – so long as the stewards can keep the ship upright!
New government, new bureaucracy
A new government in NSW inevitably means a shake-up of the public service is looming.
With things still being decided by the premier, Chris Minns, the big question is whether Michael Coutts-Trotter (aka MCT) will still lead the public service after the dust settles. By all accounts, MCT is an excellent public servant, but Minns might want his own person in the role. The Mandarin can confirm he’s not gunning for the freshly announced APS Commissioner vacancy.
We’ve also heard whispers that other departmental leaders who might be in the cross-hairs as part of the root and branch renewal might include mandarins at Planning, Treasury and Education.
Minns’ new ministry is also missing an infrastructure minister – what does that mean for Infrastructure NSW?
There’s lots of speculation and nothing to be done but wait for the moment Minns does his inaugural MOG-ing.
Always check the date
The ABS has finally succumbed to pressure and declared it will no longer post any “fun” content on its social channels, sticking to its serious remit.
Is this for real? Of course not — it was an April Fool’s joke.
For those endeared to the ABS’ colourful social posts, the bureau assured its fans it was all just a bit of a fun.
If you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?
For your amusement, we introduce The ‘Berran, an Instagram account making light of all things Canberra.
And because it’s Canberra, a decent chunk of the posts focus on APS-related silliness.
Other posts include “Overachieving grad has spirit crushed by APS in record time” and “Requirement to talk mad shit about work IT officially added to APS Code of Conduct”.
Onward, brave soldier.
Going Green doesn’t mean shunning plastic
Anyone who’s anyone – including journalists – is hopping on the pink Barbie bandwagon with accessories. It seems the ACT Greens are also keen to don a fairy floss hue in the name of being cute and popular (it is politics after all).
‘Barbie’ the movie comes out in Australia in July.
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