the final episode finishes when the whale is again stranded, by a crab with an oversized claw. the crab calls this claw “denise” and claims it is his girlfriend. a deluded crab. in the process of helping, the deluded crab snips the rescue rope.

is this a metaphor that aligns with the process i outlined above, about how we were inadvertantly done over by economic rationalism? the process i suggest brings us to a wretch like grech? the crab is our leaders, carrying on about a girlfriend, which is actually their own egos. the egos are so big and so useless, they cause harm where they mean to help. and the whale is once again … unable to swim for itself.

we could get upset at the whale, of course. we could berate the whale for being so useless on dry land. but that might be like getting upset at indigenous australians for not being able to cope with white fella society. mightn’t it?

it’s just a thought, just another passing thought. thanks for reading, if you bothered.

yes, i do know there is a Fight at the playground … see you there …

Dr Harvey, would you confirm for us please, because I think you’ve got your PhD already, that this is the phenomenon psychology calls “displacement”? I could be wrong, but it’s considered an advanced sort of defence mechanism in psychodynamic theory.

The Feds always had the best pens. The State Govts were mean by comparison. But anyway, I’ve been pondering, and as always, my best ideas fairies arrive 24 hours late, thus I often cause comments to develop a “comet tail” when the other debaters have moved on …

Do you remember, Ray and Malcolm and everyone else with some public service back story, the introduction of program budgeting? In about 1984, Hawke/Keating said “eat this” to the public service, and it was the imposition of economic rationalism.

Instead of putting a good case for why we needed kit and staff each year, we were instead given an allocation of a set budget and told to live within our means. This was good, we were told, because this is how private enterprise did things. That’s how they made Profits. And Profits are good, they said. So we bowed our heads and ate this.

I do recall my outpost in Burnie did some dreadful things to DAS over their idea of how to manage our request for a 12 seater bus, but that would be telling. Suffice to say, the taxpayer was deeply abused there, but we could not effectively deploy a six seater buzz box either.

Now, a covertly awful thing happened with program budgeting. Our leaders were made to conform to Performance Reviews. Instead of upholding a fine Westminster sort of tradition, they had to act like cold blooded business managers. And thus our public service was corporatised. And suddenly, to get on, one had to be Opportunistic. It used to be okay to have integrity and give frank and fearless advice. But all of a sudden, that changed.

What do you think of that analysis? Am I wrong? Thanks for any feedback.

GODWIN GRECH’S former employers at the Treasury insist they have resolved probity issues around his dealings with the head of investment banking at Credit Suisse, but Mr Grech remains subject to an Australian Federal Police investigation.

The Treasury has released emails between Mr Grech and Credit Suisse’s John O’Sullivan that appear to show Mr Grech giving Mr O’Sullivan early notice on government contracts and help in negotiating a fee arrangement.

Treasury continues to pursue its own inquiries about whether Mr Grech breached the public service code of conduct. But it also says it is satisfied that it has resolved any probity concerns thrown up by the Grech emails.

I appreciate the wheels of justice turn slowly, but it would appear on the face of it, given the content of the emails released so far, Mr Grech has breached almost all of the Public Service code of ethics and we are not talking about pinching a few pens.

I have consulted the Book of Armaments (as we refer to Google around here). According to a story dated early October, although Mr Grech has resigned from the public service, the AFP are conducting an investigation. They have not pressed charges, however.

So as no charges have been laid, it is not subjudice, as I understand these things. However, the Senate is not allowed to influence the AFP with suggestions that “no harm has been done” and “no crime has been committed”, because that would be a violation of the concept of the Separation of Powers.

Ah, I remember the last politician to make a prat of himself over this concept. Joh! Remember him?

Also started to wonder whether this Godwin matter is subjudice. Am I assuming an investigation is being conducted by the AFP? I would have thought so, because the AFP is not supposed to be directed by politicians … I thought they were a police force. When The Bill think a crime has been committed, they never let the victim’s denials stop them investigating to make sure the law hasn’t been disrespected.

Perhaps I have been watching too much TV?

Also this is damning albeit hearsay of both Rudd and Turnbull and Grech:

“Godwin on good administration and misleading the Prime Minister — to Sinodinos on May 21:

Arthur

There is a very good reason why I am making a special effort for [unnamed car dealer]. The principal is a strong financial donor to to the party and uses her home to hold fund raisers in the seat of ******. MT [Malcolm Turnbull] knows of her (he has in fact been to her house). I have told Rudd in person that she supports Labor and he told me to ensure she is looked after!! Risky on my part but I am enjoying the irony of it!!”

That’s specialist treatment of a Lib donor, thought by PM Rudd (?) to be an ALP donor, bragging by Grech of same biased treatment. This indeed if true is systemic corruption.

So why was this report released at the height of the CPRS fracas in parliament? Stinks.

Also big media were keen to report Grech as a respected honest broker initially. I took them at their word. So big media in the gallery are similarly humiliated in terms of judgement.

What a mess.

Fabulous stuff BK.
What we are watching is the muck or poop that pops up on the surface when there’s been 10 years of ugly and dirty attempted politicization of the public service. There have been other ugly examples (I think the Federal Police and others in the Qld Dr Haneef case is a particularly ugly one).
The political uglies are nasty in their reaction to any supposed (supposed by them) such event when they don’t profit or see someone else apparently profit because their guilt and style makes them very sensitive to the perceived process.
So when in power and they’re deal with it they express exactly that anger and are the ugly human teaching a lesson.
When the innocent of it pollie deals with it, natural compassion and justice rules will apply, Godwin is lucky.
Psychology, psychology, psychology is everything.

It is one of those really Big Words that should never be used lightly. So I won’t write it. I’m not brave enough … and as Raymondchurch reminds us, it is subjudice so let’s shut up.

And wait for the wheels to turn. See what they spit out. Be smart, people.

From my understanding of public service values and conventions, what he’s done is a hanging offence.

Ouch. Good luck Malcolm Turnbull. It’s going to be a busy weekend. Not another one …

Rena … my observations and education have led me to the uncomfy conclusion that it is injustice for a select few. To be scapegoated, you must be really on to something that vested interests do not want revealed.

Raymondchurch … MT is attempting to distance himself and may indeed be able to put a degree or two or separation between himself and Godwin. However, the taint travels much further than just one degree, and he should know that himself. Defamation law. His only possible move from here is to be seen to discipline those in the party who allowed Godwin so much rope.

John T - thank you for your kind support. I agree that Kessing should be restored to grace, and would think an OA would not be out of place - for services to the Australian public.

As a soon-to-be public servant, I take PS apoliticism seriously. Even though I have strong political beliefs, I understand that to seek to blatantly pursue my own goals while undermining the government of the day would be grossly damaging to my country and her people. If only Grech had the decency to think the same.

Lastly, shame on Canberra for letting this slide.

Grech, apparently, is getting off scot free due to his health which was, allegedly, partly occasioned by overwork. Given the amount of time that it seems he was spending on preparing ‘proposals’ for the next Liberal government and promoting himself to the party influential (creep, crawl, creep) perhaps that party should pay Grech’s medical expenses and resignation payout.

I wonder if Rudd now doesn’t regret not doing a Howard and sacking everyone within sight and re-stocking the public service with his ‘own’ men and women.

One bright spot I did note in the papers was that Senator Eric Abetz was found to have been as pure, if not purer, than the driven snow.