In my last Blog I noted that Josh Frydenberg was a brave Treasurer. Having sat through his Budget presentation and read all the newspaper reports (before and after), I feel very strongly that our government is seriously into a massive Joe Biden event.
The opposition’s response was a damp squid, and if the two sets of policies remain as they are, and no-one in the cabinet is prosecuted for sexual harassment or extreme rudeness on other fronts, I cannot see the opposition winning the next election.
However, if some recent events, and my general belief about anyone’s abilities, are correct, the Treasurer’s bold attack on Australia’s great number of ‘things to fix’ may turn into a shambles. An example of potential catastrophe is the Israel military system technology, currently being ‘ripped out’ of military vehicles, leaving note-paper and biros (or is it quill pens?) to record events and feelings. Another example is that many elderly citizens are mistreated by hopeless managers. Another again, the French submarine contract fiasco. We are supposedly deciding to focus on ‘Sons of Collins’ in case of a war aimed at turning Taiwan into another Hong Kong. Then potentially an attack on Australia or New Zealand.
Here is my basic advice. Australia is very short of good managers, and most of them work in major companies or exciting start-ups. Where is the cadre of skilled operators to make work all of the government’s ideas presented by Treasurer Josh? The best idea would be to conclude that the Treasurer’s wish list is a strategic program for the next 5 years. Then recruit a set of people from the corporate sector and in some cases academics. There might also be a cadre of public officials who would be good at managing substantial change and building new programs.
The new recruits should sign on with a remit to implement the most important of the Treasurer’s wish list. Greatly improving the lot of the elderly? Or saving women being monstered by violent husbands? Or the 2 per cent deposit on houses being granted to needy women?
Dear Josh. Please think carefully about this problem. You might start trying to hire some men and women from the second and third levels of large companies, people who are known leaders. The deal would be to allocate one such leader to each project such as those listed in the previous paragraph. The new task warriors should each be given two tasks. Bring home the allocated task and train a cohort of managers, including their own replacements. Then, if still up for the work, move on to another task. To provide incentive, pay should be retained by Treasury until each task is acclaimed as ‘well done’.
The alternative, Treasurer Josh, is very likely a widespread fiasco that will end your career and let Labor into the government seats.
KULTURE
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