Elections have a way of jamming up bureaucratic wheels and 2022 featured three of them — two state versions (South Australia and Victoria) straddling the federal poll in May. Toss in numerous local elections, a lingering global pandemic and everpresent data-hacking threats, Australia’s public sector has been forced to deal with distractions on multiple flanks.
So it’s a good thing The Mandarin has been here to help keep you pushing forward.
While COVID-19, the bureaucratic fallout following the federal election, and numerous inquiries and royal commissions created equal splashes of unease and befuddlement for Australia’s public servants, they weren’t the only things that got your attention. Here’s our month-by-month guide to The Mandarin‘s most popular stories in 2022:
January: Public servants recognised in Australia Day honours
More than 60 public servants received Australia Day gongs, including former chief scientist Dr Alan Finkel, National Disability Insurance Agency chair Dr Helen Nugent and former chair of Sports Australia John Wylie, who received ACs. The Public Service Medal was awarded to 60 federal, state, territory and local government employees – 29 for service related to Australia’s COVID-19 response. Another four public servants were awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.
February: Reputation damage to a Queensland university from their VP’s hateful social media post
This opinion article from Sue Parker highlights the potential reputational risk for individuals and organisations when leaders wield social media as a weapon. In Parker’s sights is Central Queensland University’s vice president of global development Alastair Dawson, who used LinkedIn to criticise “spoilt brat” Grace Tame’s “childish” behaviour at The Lodge. “It’s one thing to write an opinion with respect and decency,” she wrote. “But it’s another to share bile and hate from a senior leader.”
March: Novavax cleared to boost Australians over 18 years
COVID-19 has been such a dominant presence in our lives since March 2020 that it’s easy to be blase about the rollout of a newly approved vaccine. This popular article explains that the first ATAGI-approved protein-based vaccine was recommended for those 18 years and over who wanted a booster where an mRNA shot is unsuitable. By mid-December, 97.3% of Australians 16 and over had received one dose, 96% had two and 72.4% had three.
April: Movers & Shakers: AGD’s new assistant secretary, water pundit joins Productivity Commission
Movers & Shakers is one of our most popular articles every week. No surprise there – knowledge is power. It just so happened The Mandarin’s most clicked story in April announced Jan Swanepoel’s move to the Attorney-General’s Department, significant changes to the Indigenous affairs portfolio, additions to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia that tipped the proportion of female judges to 51% and what turned out to be a lot of short-term changes to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. (Remember that? It’s been a big year …)
May: Election 2022: Morrison criticises public servants
Of course, the federal election dominated May’s news coverage. In our most popular story of the month, Scott Morrison may not have endeared himself with the public service by suggesting his government had a better idea of what the community needed than “someone sitting in Canberra”. Said the now former prime minister on ABC’s 7.30: “I’m sorry … politicians, elected leaders, ministers, ultimately make decisions because we’re the ones accountable to the public – not public servants.”
June: Albanese’s department changes begin
As soon as the federal government changed, the public service rumour mill started. Would we see new or reconstituted departments? Which secretaries would survive? This Mandarin article was the first of many that kept track of the numerous bureaucratic changes in June, with public service minister Katy Gallagher taking a leading role. By June 22, the picture was clearer, with PM Anthony Albanese unveiling Dr Gordon de Brouwer as secretary for public sector reform.
July: Depression is probably not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, new study
Originally published in The Conversation, this article was a hit among our public sector audience. This shouldn’t be surprising, though, when you consider the impact of poor mental health on performance in any workplace. This piece from two University College London researchers debunks the influential theory that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance of serotonin and calls into question why health professionals even prescribe antidepressants.
August: Two RAT manufacturers fined by TGA
In early 2022, getting your hands on a rapid antigen test was like an episode from The Hunger Games. While many people at that time might have paid big money for even a poor quality RAT, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) was having none of it. This report outlines how two pharmaceutical companies – Hough Pharma and 2San – were issued multiple fines for “serial non-compliance” with the rules.
September: LinkedIn community rallies around ex-bureaucrat Amy Brown
One of the year’s most extraordinary storylines was the parliamentary inquiry examining how former deputy premier John Barilaro was offered the state’s senior trade and investment commissioner to the Americas role. The probe impacted many public sector high-flyers, including Investment NSW head Amy Brown, who offered Barilaro the job … and then lost hers. This article looks at the reaction to Brown’s LinkedIn post announcing the end of her NSW public service career. Fair to say she received a lot of support from friends and former colleagues.
October: Gallagher to unveil ‘in-house consulting model’ for APS
APS reform has been high on the government’s agenda since the May election, and minister Katy Gallagher was keen to get things moving asap. This article previews an IPAA speech in which she detailed plans for an in-house consulting model that tapped into “deep expertise” inside the APS. “An in-house consulting model will give public servants the opportunity to develop expertise further, build relationships, collaborate with colleagues, and challenge themselves in new ways,” she said.
November: What your boss gets paid: The APS secretaries’ salaries list
This was The Mandarin’s inaugural guide to what Australia’s best-paid public servants get paid. This year’s candidates were limited to department secretaries ranked in two ways – total remuneration (including termination benefits) and base salary. Top of the tree was former Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications boss Simon Atkinson, who took home almost $1.64 million – nearly half of which was his termination payout.
December: Improving APS workplace culture is an uncomfortable but necessary journey
Margaret Joseph’s column on what the public sector needs to do to address workplace culture issues calls for leaders to ask difficult questions. “Ultimately, the APS needs to both know more about its workplace cultures and do more to make cultures consistently better across the board,” she writes. “Given it engages deeply human factors around values, emotions and behaviours, it may prove at times an uncomfortable journey.”
These are all excellent issues for the public sector to wrestle with when we get started in 2023.
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