RBA in hot water over staffer’s Kmart, BIG W email comment; Sunrise’s Nat Barr zeroes in
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The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) recently faced criticism for spending taxpayer funds on food and alcohol while the nation grapples with a growing cost-of-living problem.
According to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request, the central bank allocated $13,700 for food and nearly $4,000 for alcohol at a board dinner in Hobart—an event that took place just before the RBA's seventh cash rate increase.
During the dinner, attendees enjoyed glasses of Freycinet Louis chardonnay and pinot noir, each priced at $68 per bottle, according to reports.
The RBA also spent $11,400 on a governors' meeting, which was held at the Lagoon Suite in the beachfront Ramada resort in Vanuatu, with the meeting's theme being 'Rebuilding Our Economies Post Covid'.
Shortly after announcing a 3.10% interest rate hike in December, the RBA hosted its annual Christmas party, which featured lavish dishes like kingfish ceviche, lamb cutlets, and potato gnocchi.
Internal emails also revealed discussions among executives about incorporating a photo booth with 'funny hats' to add variety to the party, but this idea was eventually rejected.
'Seems like everyone is very much back into the swing of things like it is 2019!' wrote an RBA staff member in an email addressed to an organiser.
Recent revelations, however, unveil that this wasn't the only controversy in the leaked emails.
During a live TV segment, Sunrise host Nat Barr divulged the contents of a rather striking email, composed by an RBA staff member, targeting retail giants Kmart and BIG W.
Nat revealed that the staff member suggested purchasing Christmas decorations from Kmart and BIG W as a cost-saving measure.
Despite these two stores enjoying immense popularity among millions of shoppers for their festive offerings, observers have pointed out that the employee's note appears to hold a 'derogatory' undertone towards the retailers.
The email says: 'I know it sounds not attractive, but Kmart and BIG W do have some good Christmas decorations at a budget price.'
In an interview with Nat Barr on the morning show, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek addressed the situation and said that public institutions should be 'careful' about how they spend their money.
'One of the changes that Jim Chalmers has proposed regarding the Reserve Bank is that it should be more transparent and should give regular press conferences, for example, to explain the decisions it's making to Australians,' said Ms Plibersek.
During the same interview, former Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said he had 'no problems' with the bank spending money on lunches and dinners as long as they were transparent about these expenses.
'If you are spending $4,000 on a grog bill and $13,000 on a food bill, then make sure you put it out in the papers the next day,' he said.
'We are not that stupid. They are a professional organisation.'
This news comes in the wake of reports indicating that Australia's interest rate has reached 4.1 per cent, its highest level since 2012, even though the RBA paused its regular hikes in August.
With the cost of living on the rise, a record number of Australians are now juggling multiple jobs. According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 947,300 Australians worked multiple jobs in March.
With more and more Aussies tightening their wallets and cutting back on expenses to save money, many say it's disheartening to hear about officials spending taxpayer money on extravagant expenses and even calling budget stores that many ordinary citizens depend on ‘not attractive’.
Members, we would love to hear your thoughts. How do you feel about spending of this magnitude by government officials while many Aussies struggle with high cost of living? Tell us in the comments section below.
According to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request, the central bank allocated $13,700 for food and nearly $4,000 for alcohol at a board dinner in Hobart—an event that took place just before the RBA's seventh cash rate increase.
During the dinner, attendees enjoyed glasses of Freycinet Louis chardonnay and pinot noir, each priced at $68 per bottle, according to reports.
The RBA also spent $11,400 on a governors' meeting, which was held at the Lagoon Suite in the beachfront Ramada resort in Vanuatu, with the meeting's theme being 'Rebuilding Our Economies Post Covid'.
Shortly after announcing a 3.10% interest rate hike in December, the RBA hosted its annual Christmas party, which featured lavish dishes like kingfish ceviche, lamb cutlets, and potato gnocchi.
Natalie Barr slammed an RBA staffer for claiming it was 'not attractive' to shop at Kmart and BIG W. Credit: Twitter/sunriseon7.
Internal emails also revealed discussions among executives about incorporating a photo booth with 'funny hats' to add variety to the party, but this idea was eventually rejected.
'Seems like everyone is very much back into the swing of things like it is 2019!' wrote an RBA staff member in an email addressed to an organiser.
Recent revelations, however, unveil that this wasn't the only controversy in the leaked emails.
During a live TV segment, Sunrise host Nat Barr divulged the contents of a rather striking email, composed by an RBA staff member, targeting retail giants Kmart and BIG W.
Nat revealed that the staff member suggested purchasing Christmas decorations from Kmart and BIG W as a cost-saving measure.
Despite these two stores enjoying immense popularity among millions of shoppers for their festive offerings, observers have pointed out that the employee's note appears to hold a 'derogatory' undertone towards the retailers.
The email says: 'I know it sounds not attractive, but Kmart and BIG W do have some good Christmas decorations at a budget price.'
In an interview with Nat Barr on the morning show, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek addressed the situation and said that public institutions should be 'careful' about how they spend their money.
'One of the changes that Jim Chalmers has proposed regarding the Reserve Bank is that it should be more transparent and should give regular press conferences, for example, to explain the decisions it's making to Australians,' said Ms Plibersek.
During the same interview, former Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said he had 'no problems' with the bank spending money on lunches and dinners as long as they were transparent about these expenses.
'If you are spending $4,000 on a grog bill and $13,000 on a food bill, then make sure you put it out in the papers the next day,' he said.
'We are not that stupid. They are a professional organisation.'
This news comes in the wake of reports indicating that Australia's interest rate has reached 4.1 per cent, its highest level since 2012, even though the RBA paused its regular hikes in August.
With the cost of living on the rise, a record number of Australians are now juggling multiple jobs. According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 947,300 Australians worked multiple jobs in March.
With more and more Aussies tightening their wallets and cutting back on expenses to save money, many say it's disheartening to hear about officials spending taxpayer money on extravagant expenses and even calling budget stores that many ordinary citizens depend on ‘not attractive’.
Members, we would love to hear your thoughts. How do you feel about spending of this magnitude by government officials while many Aussies struggle with high cost of living? Tell us in the comments section below.
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