Numbers of Ministerial staff at the Commonwealth and each of the states and territories drawn from the most recent, most authoritative source publicly available
Numbers reflect what is reported as ministerial staff in each jurisdiction: so if personal support staff, such as administrative assistants or drivers, have been reported, these are included in the figures below).
Number of Ministers and Office Holders are those numbers reported against the most recent staff numbers, where available.
The choice for New South Wales’ Ombudsman in 1987 came down to a senior Departmental head and a solicitor with a familiar name in Labor circles; the latter promising a less contested relationship between the government and the Ombudsman’s Office after years of strife between the two.
Cabinet papers for the NSW Government, recently released under the “30 year rule” still applicable in NSW, offer an insight into the appointment of David Landa as NSW’s third Ombudsman.
While the selection panel narrowed the eventual choice to Landa, a prominent solicitor with strong Labor connections, and Trevor Haines, the then Secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department, an impressive shortlist was interviewed, with gender and (relative) youth no bar to inclusion.
However, reducing the eventual choice to Landa and Haines seemingly reflected a desire to create a more harmonious relationship between government and watchdog than existed during the term of George Masterman, QC, who held the post between 1981 and 1987. Continue reading “Choosing an Ombudsman: Revelations from the 1987 NSW Cabinet Papers”
Numbers of Ministerial staff drawn from the most recent, most authoritative source publicly available Continue reading “Number of Ministerial Staff in Australia – 2016”
It’s often embarrassing to be right, but I blush not over my correct analysis… it is nothing more than a cunning attempt to offload millions of dollars worth of government expenditure back on to the states without giving them any means – other than posing an income tax – of raising the revenue needed.
[The Premier] claims he was sold a pup. Not so. He has been given a large, extremely hungry and undoubtedly treacherous hound.
No, not a comment about Malcolm Turnbull’s plans to give the states the opportunity to raise revenue to pay for services.
That’s a comment BY Malcolm Turnbull – in 1976 – the last time a Prime Minister tried to devolve revenue raising by means of state based income taxes. Continue reading ““A Large, Extremely Hungry and Undoubtedly Treacherous Hound”: Malcolm Turnbull on State Income Taxes … in 1976″
In May 2014, in response to the mounting revelations at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of breaches and circumvention of NSW’s electoral disclosure laws, particularly in respect of donations by prohibited donors, Premier Mike Baird announced a Panel of Experts to review the system of political donations. Continue reading “NSW Political Donations Reform – Background and Resources (Updated)”
The NSW Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour, has told a Parliamentary Committee that he anticipates an inquiry into potential serious misconduct in the NSW Police Force, the Crime Commission and the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) involving a 14 year old internal affairs operation will take at least two years and cost at least $3.5 million. Continue reading “Two Years, $3.5 Million for Ombudsman Police Internal Affairs Inquiry”
From the NSW Liberals’ website proclaiming the O’Farrell Government’s achievements for its first 100 Days:
We have appointed a chair and began setting up the Public Sector Commission”
As FDR – no slouch at the first 100 days business – might have said: “We have nothing to chair but chairs their selves”.
Sure, any attempt to encourage kids to read is most welcome. Sure, the Premier’s Reading Challenege is a great way to do this.
Heck, The Muddle Headed Wombat is one of my cherished memories of childhood.
But to present this as news, even in the Sunday papers? Continue reading “The Muddle Headed Puff Piece”
Boilermaker Bill's Rum Hospital 