Melissa Coade

1 week ago | themandarin.com.au | Melissa Coade

Department of Treasury and Finance head Chris Barrett has shared that he is “looking forward to working with the feds” as the Albanese government’s second-term agenda puts national productivity front and centre. Last week, the secretary acknowledged that the kind of transformational reform that will help bolster things like national competition policy was never going to be “hold the front page” news.

1 week ago | themandarin.com.au | Melissa Coade

For months now, Tasmania’s Liberal government has been flagging major structural changes to its public service, a workforce hiring freeze, and the possible sale of state-owned assets (including the redevelopment of Hobart’s treasury complex) to help salvage the 2025 budget. In March, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff raised the possibility of privatising a number of state-owned assets to wrestle with a ballooning state net debt forecast to hit $10 billion by 2027-28 and $16 billion by 2035.

1 week ago | themandarin.com.au | Melissa Coade

Tasmania’s government business enterprises (GBEs) are undergoing changes to bring stronger accountability and governance measures. The reforms establish consistent powers for ‘shareholding’ ministerial directions issued to GBEs, mandatory public reporting on ministerial directions, and time restrictions for board appointments, including three-year terms for directors and chairs.

1 week ago | themandarin.com.au | Melissa Coade

Professor Glyn Davis has been acknowledged by his peers at his last secretaries board meeting before retiring in June. The nation’s most senior public servants met last week for the first secretaries board meeting to be convened since the new Albanese government took office. In a communique from the meeting, the secretaries thanked PM&C boss Davis “for his significant contribution to and leadership of the Australian Public Service”, including as chair of the secretaries board.

1 week ago | themandarin.com.au | Melissa Coade

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s first cabinet meeting has considered the ongoing costs of climate change events for the nation. Following the first meeting of his new cabinet in Canberra, the Labor leader said his team faced a big job ahead as it reckoned with the long-term effects of natural disasters. “We’re back down to work again. I know that people have been working — everyone has been to their departments over the last couple of weeks and engaging with them,” the PM said.