APVMA review finds ‘unacceptable volume of personnel-related complaints’
Calla Wahlquist
A review of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has found the organisation has “an unacceptable volume of personnel-related complaints” with a formal complaint recorded every four to six weeks for the past five years.
It also found the APVMA had focused on targets around the timeframes for registering agvet chemicals at the expense of undertaking monitoring and compliance activities, that it had taken an “educational approach” to enforcing regulations rather than applying stronger penalties, and that its approach to regulation “appears to align with industry interests”.
The desktop review by lawfirm Clayton Utz was released this morning by agriculture minister Murray Watt, who commissioned it to look into broader compliance issues at the regulator. It follows allegations at senate estimates that a senior member of staff at the APVMA had urinated on other staff members at a Christmas function in Armidale in 2021. A separate report into that incident was completed in February 2023 and the matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police.
It found that the agency, which employed 129 people as of 30 June 2022, had recorded 56 personnel-related complaints between 2018 and 2023, of which 21 were allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
“There were clearly cultural issues with the organisation given that on average there was a formal complaint about once every 4-6 weeks for 5 years,” the report said.
It added that while “some of the complaints were very serious” there appeared to have been “little if any reporting of these matters to the Board”.
There was no reporting that we could find of any kind of these matters to either the Department or the Minister meaning that matters were not escalated and relevant action could not be taken.
Key events
The review of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority also highlighted long delays in its chemical review program, agriculture minister Murray Watt says.
“In some cases these reviews have been going on for over 20 years,” Watt says.
He has issued APVMA with a ministerial directive to finalise outstanding reviews for eight chemicals currently in use. Those reviews have been underway for more than 17 years each.
“This is the first time ever that this type of ministerial direction has been given to the APVMA.”
Agriculture minister Murray Watt says findings from the review of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority require “serious, firm action”.
“Our first course of action will be a rapid evaluation of the APVMA’s structure and governance,” he says.
The evaluation will be conducted by Ken Matthews, former public servant. The report will be submitted to Watt by 30 September. It will include recommendations on the future governance, structure and funding arrangements of the APVMA.
APVMA review finds ‘unacceptable volume of personnel-related complaints’
Calla Wahlquist
A review of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority has found the organisation has “an unacceptable volume of personnel-related complaints” with a formal complaint recorded every four to six weeks for the past five years.
It also found the APVMA had focused on targets around the timeframes for registering agvet chemicals at the expense of undertaking monitoring and compliance activities, that it had taken an “educational approach” to enforcing regulations rather than applying stronger penalties, and that its approach to regulation “appears to align with industry interests”.
The desktop review by lawfirm Clayton Utz was released this morning by agriculture minister Murray Watt, who commissioned it to look into broader compliance issues at the regulator. It follows allegations at senate estimates that a senior member of staff at the APVMA had urinated on other staff members at a Christmas function in Armidale in 2021. A separate report into that incident was completed in February 2023 and the matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police.
It found that the agency, which employed 129 people as of 30 June 2022, had recorded 56 personnel-related complaints between 2018 and 2023, of which 21 were allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
“There were clearly cultural issues with the organisation given that on average there was a formal complaint about once every 4-6 weeks for 5 years,” the report said.
It added that while “some of the complaints were very serious” there appeared to have been “little if any reporting of these matters to the Board”.
There was no reporting that we could find of any kind of these matters to either the Department or the Minister meaning that matters were not escalated and relevant action could not be taken.
Amy Remeikis
Yes/No cases to be published on AEC site
The AEC has announced that the Yes and No cases for the Indigenous voice to parliament will be published on its website on Tuesday.
Each committee has until 11.59pm on Monday and whatever the AEC has received will be published.
Which makes it sound like a bad group assignment where you don’t know what is going to be actually handed in, but we are sure it is a lot more professional than that.
The committees are made up of MPs who voted yes and no on the referendum legislation which was passed by the parliament in the last sitting and are bipartisan.
Electoral commissioner Tom Rogers says:
Each case will be published in separate, unedited, and unformatted documents, exactly as they have been received by the deadline.
The deadline for case committees to submit each case is 11:59pm on Monday. Whatever we have received will be published the very next day, in order to provide visibility to voters.
Our role here is as a post-box only and this impending raw publication of each authorised case is the first aspect of our independent delivery role.
We’ll then get to work to complete the Yes/No case pamphlet for printing and create a range of translated and accessible versions. These will also be on the AEC website as they become available.
Which is very polite speak for THIS IS NOT THE AEC’S OR BELIEFS – it is only the messenger.
China’s top diplomat hails ‘stabilised’ relations after Penny Wong meeting
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi said China and Australia’s relations have “stabilised, improved and developed” under the joint efforts of both countries, Reuters reports.
In a Chinese foreign ministry statement, Wang also said he hoped Australia will provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in the country.
Both sides should respect each other, treat each other as equals, properly handle differences, and cultivate a friendly atmosphere of mutual understanding and appreciation, he said.
‘Vindication for the Greens’: Greens senator on Lowe’s term not being extended
Greens senator Nick McKim says Michele Bullock’s appointment as Reserve Bank governor is “business-as-usual”.
Replacing one RBA insider with another is business-as-usual, and a clear signal that renters and mortgage holders will keep getting smashed to solve a problem they didn’t cause.
Labor needs to tax corporate super profits and wealth. That would be anti-inflationary and reduce the pressure on the RBA to use the only tool it has.
McKim says Philip Lowe’s term as governor not being extended is “vindication for the Greens”:
The decision to sack Dr Lowe is vindication for the Greens who have been calling for him to go for some time.
Dr Lowe made a series of mistakes and poor calls that resulted in renters and mortgage holders getting smashed for inflation they didn’t cause.
But corporate Australia will be heaving a giant sigh of relief today.
It’s clear that interest rate rises will continue to be used as a tool to increase unemployment and suppress wages, and that monetary policy will not be used to address inequality or climate breakdown.
If you missed it, here is prime minister Anthony Albanese announcing Michele Bullock as the new Reserve Bank governor, and treasurer Jim Chalmers thanking outgoing governor Philip Lowe for his service:
Bullock acknowledges challenging timing entering RBA governor role
Deputy governor Michele Bullock says:
I am deeply honoured to have been appointed to this important position. It is a challenging time to be coming into this role, but I will be supported by a strong executive team and boards.
I am committed to ensuring that the Reserve Bank delivers on its policy and operational objectives for the benefit of the Australian people.
In a statement, The Reserve Bank of Australia have outlined the responsibilities Bullock will inherit when she becomes governor, including management of the bank, and being chair of the Reserve Bank Board, the Payments System Board and the Council of Financial Regulators.
‘First-rate appointment’: Lowe congratulates Bullock
Governor Philip Lowe says Michele Bullock is a “first-rate appointment” to take over his role from mid-September:
The treasurer has made a first-rate appointment. I congratulate Michele on being appointed governor.
The Reserve Bank is in very good hands as it deals with the current inflation challenge and implementing the recommendations of the review of the RBA.
I wish Michele all the best.
Bullock to implement RBA review recommendations
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says part of Michele Bullock’s role will be implementing recommendations of the Reserve Bank review – which said the organisation needs a shake-up.
[Michele] has made clear … how we can implement in the best possible way the recommendations of the Reserve Bank review. We’ve had a number of conversations about that and I know that Michele Bullock is committed to the RBA review process, as am I, as you know.
There is a lot of work to do to agree to the new statement of conduct this year, and to introduce the legislation this year ideally as well.
The fact that Michele Bullock brings that experience and expertise, but also that heft and gravitas, will be a really important asset when it comes to the relationship with the RBA board and when it comes to implementing … the review.
Dutton’s negativity over RBA candidates ‘bordering on the pathological’, Chalmers says
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Peter Dutton’s negativity “is bordering on the pathological,” following the opposition leader saying he would not support a move to appoint the next governor from the ranks of the public service yesterday.
At today’s press conference, Chalmers says:
I wasn’t obligated to consult the Opposition on this appointment, but I did it anyway. I thought it was important that I do that and I thank Angus Taylor for making the time on a couple of occasions, including this week, to talk about this appointment.
When it comes to Peter Dutton, [he] is so relentlessly negative that he is even now bagging things that aren’t happening.
This is bordering on the pathological when it comes to his negativity, and to describe people of the calibre of Steven Kennedy and Jenny Wilkinson, who have advised both sides of politics in a frank and fearless and impeccable way … it is not those two who are tainted.
Chalmers says having Wilkinson, Kennedy and Bullock in three key positions “is the best of all worlds”.
We get Michele Bullock at the Reserve Bank, and we get Steven Kennedy at the Treasury, and we get Jenny Wilkinson at Finance. I couldn’t have more respect for Kennedy and Wilkinson and Bullock.
Amy Remeikis
Michele Bullock rundown
So who is Michele Bullock?
Peter Hannam, our economics editor, will fill you in more fully very soon. But in the mean time, here is your quick cheat sheet.
Bullock went to the University of New England where she received her bachelor of economics (honours) in 1984 and then graduated from the London School of Economics with her masters in 1998.
From there, Bullock worked at the RBA in a bunch of different positions before becoming the chief manager of the payments policy department in 1998. She was in that role until 2007 before she was promoted to the department’s chief manager.
From there, Bullock climbed the ladder to deputy governor, which she was appointed to in April 2022 after Guy Debelle’s shock resignation.
From 18 September 2023, Bullock will be the governor.
Bullock will be the 9th Governor of the RBA and the gig lasts for seven years, with an option to be extended.
Five of the eight governors have served one term – recent governors have seen their terms extended, but it is not the rule.
