While some of us struggled to get tickets to the explosive Women's World Cup last month, more than a dozen federal politicians got in for free, or received merchandise, according to the federal register of interests.
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Minister for Sport Anika Wells, unsurprisingly, scored tickets to the greatest number of matches, including 17 exclusive FIFA Suite tickets, courtesy of the scandal-plagued football federation.
Football Australia and FIFA also gifted Ms Wells with merchandise; interesting given that Labor's Jason Clare and Madeline King said that they each received a Matilda's flag, scarf and pin from the Minister for Sport.
![Tickets for Matildas games were in high demand, but federal pollies had no trouble scoring free tickets. Pictures Instagram Tickets for Matildas games were in high demand, but federal pollies had no trouble scoring free tickets. Pictures Instagram](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/pMXRnDj3SUU44AkPpn97sC/16924cc7-c2e3-4cc2-94fb-8b2a3b8520b6.png/r0_0_1200_675_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Labor senator Murray Watt and Liberal Party deputy leader Sussan Ley both got to watch the Matilda's showdown semi-final match against England, at FIFA's invitation. Susan Templeman got tickets to the sold-out final between Spain and England.
Also among those who received tickets to earlier matches from various sources was the National's Matt Canavan, Labor's Jenny McAllister, and Liberal senator Richard Colbeck.
The National's Senate whip Ross Cadell went the extra mile when declaring he'd received an official Matilda's scarf from Football Australia, providing not only the make and price but also a link to where you can purchase your own at Rebel Sport.
Speaking of which, Public Eye has discovered that Mr Cadell provides some of the most detailed declarations of interests. He recently declared that he'd received a lunch "(which i was unable to eat as i was feeling ill); 2 x Nurofen Tablets (which did not help); 1 x Packet of Claratyne (which did)[sic]".
Australian Services Union is not happy, Peter
The Australian Services Union, which represents members at the Australian Taxation Office is "distinctly unimpressed" with the government's latest pay offer.
"The ASU Tax Executive, our Committee of Management, met yesterday morning to discuss the proposal. Every one of us believes the pay offer is inadequate," an email addressed to members last Thursday reads.
The pay offer of 11.2 per cent was tabled last Tuesday by the Public Service Commission's chief negotiator Peter Riordan.
![APSC chief negotiator Peter Riordan. Picture by Elesa Kurtz APSC chief negotiator Peter Riordan. Picture by Elesa Kurtz](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/pMXRnDj3SUU44AkPpn97sC/5146d009-ac95-4c80-8464-626c256d588a.jpg/r0_9_4223_2383_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It represented a 0.7 percentage point increase to a previous offer of 10.5 per cent.
While the Community and Public Sector Union is polling members before it takes a position on the deal, the ASU has decided it will campaign for a better deal.
The Tax Office is in a bad spot the union argues, because members voted against annual 2 per cent pay increases between 2014 and 2017, in an effort to protect workplace rights. Now the union is calling for commentary on the pay deal, to provide as feedback to the Public Service Commission.
The government still hopes to get its common pay and conditions package wrapped up in three to four weeks.
Agencies then vote on the pay offer in their enterprise agreements, once a second round of agency-level bargaining concludes.
But interestingly, the first increase isn't due to kick in until March 2024, so unions have some time before they risk delaying a pay increase for public servants struggling with cost of living.
Meet the dogs of DEWR
A recent social media post from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has got Public Eye wondering, whether, just as there are cat people and dog people, are there cat agencies and dog agencies?
(Treasury would be a cat agency, no?)
The DEWR LinkedIn post proudly declared the agency dog aligned, inviting those "looking to make a paw-sitive career change" to come and work for them, because you can work from home and hang out with your "fur-child" all day. The post is not as cringe as Finance's bid to get people to work there for the "paleo pear and banana bread", but it is up there.
The dogs were cute though, we will admit.
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FOI hearings go off
The former freedom-of-information boss Leo Hardiman made some explosive claims about the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner last Tuesday at a Senate hearing on the effectiveness of Commonwealth FOI Laws.
Mr Hardiman claimed the Information Commissioner Angelene Falk was not supportive of the agency's three-commissioner model, nor adequate FOI resourcing and said a poor agency culture had resulted. Ms Falk denied this, appearing before the hearing later in the day.
It is no secret FOI resourcing is stretched. Public Eye just received a response to a request that was initially due on April 21 from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, which seems to have fallen through the cracks. (Admittedly, we had forgotten about it too.)
Here's hoping for some investment in transparency measures.
Are you ready to meet your Public Service Commissioner?
A new look federal public service is one where you can hang out with the Public Service Commissioner.
In June, Gordon de Brouwer promised he would be holding monthly drop-in sessions, where any public servant could come and speak to him in person about their ideas or concerns.
More details were due to be released in "in the coming weeks" Dr de Brouwer told public servants at the time. Those details are out now (Public Eye supposes this period is technically "coming weeks"), and the Public Service Commissioner is heading to Hobart.
It's an opportunity to speak with Gordon honestly about the topics you care about, according to the Eventbrite website. It's also sold out, but you can be waitlisted if you're really keen.
Public servants on display
![Attorney-General's Department's Fatima is one of the public servants recognised in the exhibition. Picture supplied Attorney-General's Department's Fatima is one of the public servants recognised in the exhibition. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/pMXRnDj3SUU44AkPpn97sC/b8becbe2-423a-4f7c-a58d-9fd08f81e804.jpg/r0_319_1082_911_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Speaking of the APS Commission boss, he's probably feeling pretty chuffed with all this talk of bolstering his role.
"You'll see increasingly, I think, a bigger role for the APSC," Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher said last Thursday, echoing recommendations made in the robodebt royal commission report and a capability review of the APSC.
She was speaking at the opening of a new exhibition at Old Parliament House, which puts federal public servants in the spotlight.
The Spirit of the Service installation recognises the diversity of the APS and educates the public about what it is federal bureaucrats actually do. Bigwigs including Dr de Brouwer and his predecessor Peter Woolcott showed up to open the exhibition.
"I work with the public service every day, so I see all of the good work that that is done," Senator Gallagher said.
"[This exhibition is] recognising the work they do, celebrating the work they do, but also showing the diversity of the work that they do and the roles within the public service.
"And I hope for people that come through [it] might capture a few people's minds about what ... fulfilling and exciting jobs are available in the public service."
Over to you
- What agency social media posts have got your cringing?
- ps@canberratimes.com.au