Vic How would you rate Daniel Andrews' performance as Victorian Premier? - Part 7

[adogsfan5]

NT and QLD have now organised to remove vaccine mandates for pubs, nightclubs, cafes etc.

Wonder when VIC will follow.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/coronavirus/covid-qld-eight-deaths-and-9946-new-cases-recorded-in-past-24-hours/news-story/b2a18909c937435cac909fc18b47a6c2?amp&nk=4a6a6a5f088d5d5c42692b34b77c34f4-1649128759

 

[eddiesmith]

its not as bad as 50%

months ago it was something like a 70-75% chance of a false positive, and 70% for a false negative.

since then they have improved, but we need to be realistic that they will never be 95% accurate as some people think they will be

There are also different brands with different sensitivities. Plus whether people actually use them properly.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

NT and QLD have now organised to remove vaccine mandates for pubs, nightclubs, cafes etc.

Wonder when VIC will follow.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/coronavirus/covid-qld-eight-deaths-and-9946-new-cases-recorded-in-past-24-hours/news-story/b2a18909c937435cac909fc18b47a6c2?amp&nk=4a6a6a5f088d5d5c42692b34b77c34f4-1649128759

Nothing is likely to change until the current wave is done (it's getting problematic in a few sensitive sectors)

 

[Sttew]

Look, what this investigation will look into is worth looking into, not just because of that oft thrown around word "corruption" (this doesn't qualify in my book), but because people are ascending to important public service roles who are no way qualified. The head of the Victorian Public Service, Jeremi Moule, had never been a Department Secretary before heading DPC, which is highly unusual.

But there is a bigger problem at play here, and it is an expensive one. The Baillieu Government worked very hard to downsize the Departments per FTE. Some departments were more successful than others. It is usual for governments who serve for more than one term to then grow as more people are needed to implement more programs and policies. Baillieu and Napthine never got a second term, so when Daniel Andrews was elected the VPS was the leanest it had been for some time.

It was always going to grow under Daniel Andrews, but the real issue is how it has grown. The VPS was 60% bigger in June 2021 than June 2014, but the executive workforce grew 170% in the same time. Executives have a median salary of $240,789 and none of them are involved in direct service delivery. The number of executives earning salaries above half a million dollars grew from 3 to 25.

This isn't hiring more police or teachers or nurses. These are well paid executives who spend most of their time in meetings or reading briefs. There's no question we need executives, but nearly three times as many as seven years ago? Couldn't all this recurrent funding be better spent? No wonder the state budget is deeply in deficit.

On the other hand, there is plenty of opportunity to reign in spending just through some executive attrition for a new government.

Here's the one that should make blood boil.

In 2021 the Andrews government conducted an international search to find the right person for the role of CEO of V/Line, and the best they could come up with was a local guy called Matt Carrick, a former Labor factional operative and powerbroker who was connected to Treasurer Tim Pallas through the National Union of Workers. Yes, he came to V/Line after a stint as CEO of State Trustees, a financial services company that does not operate in the transport sector. Carrick has absolutely no experience in public transport. Is it any wonder Carrick's appointment as head of V/Line was done very quietly and characterised as an "interim" appointment.

And guess who signed off on Carrick's appointment? Tim Pallas.

Carrick was initially appointed as an interim CEO, presumably while the search for a full time CEO continued? Wrong. The Andrews government has quietly extended his contract through to 2026. Last time I checked an interim appointment was a short term appointment, typically 6 - 18 months, not 4 years! And this guy is paid a salary of $360,000 ++

Heaven help V/Line if they have a safety disaster under Carrick's watch

 

[adogsfan5]

Getting a little over the finger pointing.
Isn’t the decision up to the states? Just own it and say the advice is to wait until this wave peaks.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Getting a little over the finger pointing.
Isn’t the decision up to the states? Just own it and say the advice is to wait until this wave peaks.

you are aware the states are actually working to try and coordinate a return to place where they all have the same measures in place?

today i have situations where close contacts in Vic can be out in 7 days, but its 14 for the rest of the country.

 

[adogsfan5]

you are aware the states are actually working to try and coordinate a return to place where they all have the same measures in place?

today i have situations where close contacts in Vic can be out in 7 days, but its 14 for the rest of the country.

And that’s welcoming news.. but why the constant finger pointing lol? (This is at both levels). Sounds like it is up to the states then?

 

[Mofra]

Look, what this investigation will look into is worth looking into, not just because of that oft thrown around word "corruption" (this doesn't qualify in my book), but because people are ascending to important public service roles who are no way qualified. The head of the Victorian Public Service, Jeremi Moule, had never been a Department Secretary before heading DPC, which is highly unusual.

But there is a bigger problem at play here, and it is an expensive one. The Baillieu Government worked very hard to downsize the Departments per FTE. Some departments were more successful than others. It is usual for governments who serve for more than one term to then grow as more people are needed to implement more programs and policies. Baillieu and Napthine never got a second term, so when Daniel Andrews was elected the VPS was the leanest it had been for some time.

It was always going to grow under Daniel Andrews, but the real issue is how it has grown. The VPS was 60% bigger in June 2021 than June 2014, but the executive workforce grew 170% in the same time. Executives have a median salary of $240,789 and none of them are involved in direct service delivery.

"Advisor" is not quite the same as "staffer" - I do know of left leaning staffers who have worked in Lib MPs offices, but they're almost always fixed-term contractors looking to build a resume. Right-leaning egg-head economists have worked for Labor but it's the same deal - not ongoing staff,

The murkiness occurs when an appointment is seen as a 'reward' rather than completely on merit, which makes for some very problematic appointments - they absolutely should have some from of independent oversight.

 

[The Punter]

"Advisor" is not quite the same as "staffer" - I do know of left leaning staffers who have worked in Lib MPs offices, but they're almost always fixed-term contractors looking to build a resume. Right-leaning egg-head economists have worked for Labor but it's the same deal - not ongoing staff,

The murkiness occurs when an appointment is seen as a 'reward' rather than completely on merit, which makes for some very problematic appointments - they absolutely should have some from of independent oversight.

I was going to leave the "politicisation of the public service" stuff alone because I think it is a fair criticism of both parties of government in this country. I've been an advisor, and I've certainly been a staffer.

But the growth in executives over seven years from 647 to 1742 is costing Victorian taxpayers $263m every year. That's quite an amount of money, for what I am not sure. These are not front-facing staff delivering a service to the public.

 

[Saint]

Look, what this investigation will look into is worth looking into, not just because of that oft thrown around word "corruption" (this doesn't qualify in my book), but because people are ascending to important public service roles who are no way qualified. The head of the Victorian Public Service, Jeremi Moule, had never been a Department Secretary before heading DPC, which is highly unusual.

But there is a bigger problem at play here, and it is an expensive one. The Baillieu Government worked very hard to downsize the Departments per FTE. Some departments were more successful than others. It is usual for governments who serve for more than one term to then grow as more people are needed to implement more programs and policies. Baillieu and Napthine never got a second term, so when Daniel Andrews was elected the VPS was the leanest it had been for some time.

It was always going to grow under Daniel Andrews, but the real issue is how it has grown. The VPS was 60% bigger in June 2021 than June 2014, but the executive workforce grew 170% in the same time. Executives have a median salary of $240,789 and none of them are involved in direct service delivery. The number of executives earning salaries above half a million dollars grew from 3 to 25.

This isn't hiring more police or teachers or nurses. These are well paid executives who spend most of their time in meetings or reading briefs. There's no question we need executives, but nearly three times as many as seven years ago? Couldn't all this recurrent funding be better spent? No wonder the state budget is deeply in deficit.

On the other hand, there is plenty of opportunity to reign in spending just through some executive attrition for a new government.

Just 3 execs earning over $500k is staggeringly low, though. The head of Police, Health, Transport, MTIA, VicRoads, TAC, P&C (I'm sure there's big Depts I'm forgetting) they should all be on more than $500k.

All the execs they deal with (CEO of Metro, Keolis, Eastern Health etc) would all be on much more than that.

Jobs for political mates should always be a scandal and hunted down, but if there were only 3 well-paid execs, I'm not surprised that number has had to go up quite a bit!

THe last CEO of VLine - James Pinder was done for corruption (not sure who appointed him, but it was probably on merit )

Maybe it's better they're appointing people they can trust to low-paying high-responsibility jobs than people with experience who are inexplicably taking a pay cut to help out the public sector.....???

 

[Maggie5]

And that’s welcoming news.. but why the constant finger pointing lol? (This is at both levels). Sounds like it is up to the states then?

Not so sure according to the article.

“National cabinet, which is chaired by the Commonwealth, asked the Australian Health Principal Protection Committee – [which is] again, chaired by the Commonwealth, to have a look at this very issue,” Mr Andrews said on Tuesday.
“They came back as a group of experts, and they said, ‘Not at this time.’

Personally I don't much notice of what either say, both are heading for elections and it is best to ignore.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Here's the one that should make blood boil.

In 2021 the Andrews government conducted an international search to find the right person for the role of CEO of V/Line, and the best they could come up with was a local guy called Matt Carrick, a former Labor factional operative and powerbroker who was connected to Treasurer Tim Pallas through the National Union of Workers. Yes, he came to V/Line after a stint as CEO of State Trustees, a financial services company that does not operate in the transport sector. Carrick has absolutely no experience in public transport. Is it any wonder Carrick's appointment as head of V/Line was done very quietly and characterised as an "interim" appointment.

And guess who signed off on Carrick's appointment? Tim Pallas.

Carrick was initially appointed as an interim CEO, presumably while the search for a full time CEO continued? Wrong. The Andrews government has quietly extended his contract through to 2026. Last time I checked an interim appointment was a short term appointment, typically 6 - 18 months, not 4 years! And this guy is paid a salary of $360,000 ++

Heaven help V/Line if they have a safety disaster under Carrick's watch

It's a shame there's only one Jeroen (in the world? it's an odd name after all), he could probably do that job.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

And that’s welcoming news.. but why the constant finger pointing lol? (This is at both levels). Sounds like it is up to the states then?

Yes and no.

Ultimately it's up to the states, BUT they are first getting the advice on when and how to act on this from the Fed authority, AND THEN they are agreeing as a group on how to implement.

This is how things are supposed to work. Saying everything is the fault of the states is what helped states decide to ignore the national cabinet and go solo in the first place

 

[adogsfan5]

Yes and no.

Ultimately it's up to the states, BUT they are first getting the advice on when and how to act on this from the Fed authority, AND THEN they are agreeing as a group on how to implement.

This is how things are supposed to work. Saying everything is the fault of the states is what helped states decide to ignore the national cabinet and go solo in the first place

Yeah absolutely.

Seems as if the states are going to be somewhat in line by at least end of the month which is good (not sure about WA).

 

[The Punter]

It's a shame there's only one Jeroen (in the world? it's an odd name after all), he could probably do that job.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeroen-weimar-54969845/?originalSubdomain=au

Seems more qualified than the other bloke

 

[The Punter]

Just 3 execs earning over $500k is staggeringly low, though. The head of Police, Health, Transport, MTIA, VicRoads, TAC, P&C (I'm sure there's big Depts I'm forgetting) they should all be on more than $500k.

All the execs they deal with (CEO of Metro, Keolis, Eastern Health etc) would all be on much more than that.

Jobs for political mates should always be a scandal and hunted down, but if there were only 3 well-paid execs, I'm not surprised that number has had to go up quite a bit!

THe last CEO of VLine - James Pinder was done for corruption (not sure who appointed him, but it was probably on merit )

Maybe it's better they're appointing people they can trust to low-paying high-responsibility jobs than people with experience who are inexplicably taking a pay cut to help out the public sector.....???

Request to go off on tangent:

Without dismissing any of the assumptions contained in your post, if the Police Commissioner should be on $500k per year, how much should the Premier and the Prime Minister be on?

(BTW, there are now 25 execs earning $500k per year. In July 2014 it was 3.)

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Request to go off on tangent:

Without dismissing any of the assumptions contained in your post, if the Police Commissioner should be on $500k per year, how much should the Premier and the Prime Minister be on?

(BTW, there are now 25 execs earning $500k per year. In July 2014 it was 3.)

TBH a lot more.

my missus is on more than our premier and PM, and shes not even in a senior management role

*note i'd also attach similar constraints as the corporate world for conflict of interest, corporate perks come with corporate handcuffs

 

[The Punter]

TBH a lot more.

my missus is on more than our premier and PM, and shes not even in a senior management role

*note i'd also attach similar constraints as the corporate world for conflict of interest, corporate perks come with corporate handcuffs

Congratulations on your wife's success.

Not so much on your comments about my employment history in another thread. I don't think I've earned that much in the last five years combined. But apparently my views are the ones for rent.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Congratulations on your wife's success.

Not so much on your comments about my employment history in another thread. I don't think I've earned that much in the last five years combined. But apparently my views are the ones for rent.

my wife isnt working for any political party

out of interest, were you behind the Sudanese Gangs strategy last election?

 

[Saint]

Request to go off on tangent:

Without dismissing any of the assumptions contained in your post, if the Police Commissioner should be on $500k per year, how much should the Premier and the Prime Minister be on?

(BTW, there are now 25 execs earning $500k per year. In July 2014 it was 3.)

I think the executive Pollies should be on a lot more. It's an uncertain job (4-year contracts). Council CEOs get $300k-$600k.

Think about how much better the pool of pollies would be if the pay was commensurate with the risk and responsibility.

It needs reforming. But if it does, so must the accountability in political back-deals and funding (i.e. better disclosure).

If the prize at the end is boosted, there's more incentive for corruption, but then less incentive when they're elected..... double-edged.

 

[The Punter]

my wife isnt working for any political party

out of interest, were you behind the Sudanese Gangs strategy last election?

Nope

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

you are aware the states are actually working to try and coordinate a return to place where they all have the same measures in place?

today i have situations where close contacts in Vic can be out in 7 days, but its 14 for the rest of the country.

Seven days in Qld I believe, also maybe NT.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Seven days in Qld I believe, also maybe NT.

14 (dealing with this right now thanks to some of our brissy team being infected)

 

[HirdyLannister]

3 month extension for state of emergency in Victoria on the cards

 

[Ned_Flanders]

3 month extension for state of emergency in Victoria on the cards

Not surprising. This current wave is causing serious issues (it's just not being reported anymore because the care factor is gone)