Great news out of the Federal level this week with the release of a report of the efficiency of the National Archives of Australia which led to it receiving a few extra dollars from the Commonwealth so it can at last do part of the job it was created for.
While the excellent report is to be warmly welcomed and the funding appreciated, PS-sssst! felt the notes were on the wall when the reviewer and the reviewered were seen on the same turntable.
Who better qualified to compose the review than the highly-regarded admin guru David ‘Tune’ when the subjects in need of reprise were the Archives’ collections of ‘records’?
As they say in the classicals: If it ain’t baroque, don’t mezzo with it!
Two’s a company?
To Victoria last week now when the State’s Environment Protection Authority (EPA) linked up with the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions to celebrate National Science Week by creating a stack of podcasts to showcase science at work across many of Victoria’s Government Agencies.
An excellent project and one which could only do good for Victoria’s public sector, featuring as it did 10 State Government scientists discussing how they applied science in their roles.
“From a remote sensing scientist using geospatial data to inform land use and animal production, to people at the centre of Victoria’s recent emergency response efforts,” the EPA elucidated proudly.
EPA even went on to create what PS-sssst! thinks might be a new level of mathematics when it declared that the two Agencies’ were partnering for their: “second year in a row”.
The ever inquisitive PS-sssst! wonders what the shortest legal length of a ‘row’ might be.
Self-raising flowers?
Heading west now to the not-so-wild Western Australia where the State’s biggest celebration of wildflowers is on its way to Perth’s Kings Park as part of a spectacular festival that promises to show “thousands of wildflowers in full bloom”.
“Discover a new side to Kings Park and Bold Park,” the organisers promise, “It’s like nowhere else in the world.”
And then they explain why it is soooo unique.
“Running throughout September, the Festival will celebrate the amazing flora of Western Australia ….” Is their promise.
Amazing alright!
With the flora running for a whole month this is definitely a show that is ‘like nowhere else in the world’.
Live it up
To Rama Gaind’s regular giveaway now which sees a line of lucky PS News readers magically mutating into new owners of new DVDs simply by joining in Rama’s joy and jollity and jousting for her gratuitous gifting.
To champion Rama’s riches and reap her rip-roaring reward for responding rightly to this week’s riddle, three lucky winners stand to receive their own copy of the psycho-thrilling DVD movie Till Death starring Megan Fox.
To score a stripe in Rama’s Army all we needed to do was name the writer of the film’s screenplay, that correct answer being Jason Carvey.
And those amongst us who correctly carved out Mr Carvey’s character and whose entries were first to greet the judges were Mark P from the Federal Services Australia, Jennifer H from Queensland’s Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy and Ros M from the national Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who joined in the fun. The newly-housed DVDs will be on their way to their new homes soon.
For another chance to win a chapter in Rama’s book of winners simply send in your entries from her current giveaways to win the Book Taking Care of Yourself at this PS News link and/or her other prize the DVD The Last Days of Chez Nous at this link.
Jolly good luck to each and every one who does!
Right to flight
And finally, another visit to WA to report that the Department of Transport has launched a creative and innovative new initiative to help young people in regional areas of the State to sit for and receive their driver’s licences.
According to the Department, and the wider public sector, the inability to pass a licence test is a barrier to employment for the regions’ youngsters and they need assistance to be able to drive legally.
While the organisers are to be congratulated on their creative response to the problem, PS-sssst! questions whether they might not have come up with a less exciting name for the project in view of the age and youthful adventurism of the target drivers.
To quote one of the Ministers: “This pilot program will help identify barriers that young people face.”
Sure will! Learning to drive one day and driving in a ‘pilot program’ the next.
How fast before I get off the ground?
Till next week…..
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