Federal courts update … Public Sector Union complains to the Public Service Commissioner about hiring processes at the federal courts … Lack of important detail at senate estimates … Tears at the courts’ Canberra support office 

This was news to the one thousand plus troops who slave away in the galley, and no doubt they were delighted to hear the news as Darrin is the person in charge is trying to skin their pay packets. 

See Wokka from 10:58:52 on the steam 

Soden was delightfully vague about many of the details surrounding Darrin’s own pay-packet, exactly when he was piped on board, the recruitment process, and the comparative pay of the people previously doing the HR jobs at the federal courts. He’s taking all those questions from Senator Nick McKimm (Greens, Tas.) on notice. 

Fortunately, Catherine Sullivan, the court’s executive director of corporate services was on hand to assist with the answers to some questions, such as the savings generated by the court’s backend merger – it’s $15 million over four years, which is to be invested back into the courts. 

Catherine came from Sydney Harbour Federation Trust where Darrin was also in charge of “culture” before moving onto an HR job at Sydney Ferries and together they’ve formed a formidable team at the newly structured courts. 

We understand Darrin is paid $200,000 plus 15.4 percent super. Despite the fancy title the focus of the job is on HR, but Soden was at pains to point out that this is a much bigger enterprise than the HR teams managed under the old structure – it extends to command of the courts’ libraries and communications. 

It is also bigger than anything Moy managed at the old Harbour Trust, which had a staff of less than a 100 compared to over 1,000 at the courts. At Sydney Ferries he had done only one enterprise agreement, aspects of which ended up before the Fair Work Commission. 

It’s a mystery why there was not a earlier announcement to staff that Darrin had secured the job. 

We understand that the Commonwealth Public Sector Union has written to John Lloyd, the Public Service Commissioner, to complain that some recent appointments at the court represent “inappropriate recruitment processes”. 

Justinian explored some of the new appointments made by Catherine and Darrin here, many being cabin boys and girls from Sydney Ferries.

Quite apart from cleaning out swathes of HR people at the backend of the courts, IT contractors were not renewed when their terms expired just prior to Christmas 2016. 

According to one source they were given a few days notice of the non-renewal. 

Only a handful of staff remain at the Canberra national support office – one estimate says 10 out of the 80 who were previously employed by the Family Court. 

Reports vary, but some insiders say that the Canberra support office is depressing and staff cannot wait to bail out. 

This radical overhaul would have to be approved and supported by Wokker and the ultimate boss, chief justice “Chuckles” Allsop.