1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: So the Andrew Costa saga, as you're well aware, has 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: come to a conclusion. We have a resignation and an apology. 3 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: It follows the IPCA review into the handling of them 4 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: skimming complaints of Brian Wroach as the Public Services Commissioner, 5 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: of course, and it is back with us. Good morning 6 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: to you, Good morning. Was this a time play on 7 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: your partner which you were looking to direct him to 8 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: where he got? 9 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 2: I think it was just a process. He finally got 10 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 2: to the point many others had got to. I think 11 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 2: he's got to the right place. It top three weeks, 12 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 2: which was longer than some of us would of liked, 13 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: but it was important we got the right outcome, and 14 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 2: I think we have. 15 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: How was the ball in his court? 16 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 2: Ultimately? I had decision rights, but he also had decision rights. 17 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: He exercised those before I had to do anything else. 18 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: Was he aware you would ob sacked him. 19 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 2: I think it was very key for him that that 20 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 2: was a likely outcome. 21 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: So you at no point you said, listen, mate, I'd 22 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: like you to just write a letter and be nice 23 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: about it. If you can't, I'm going to sack you. 24 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: So nothing like that was ever exchange. 25 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 2: We didn't. We didn't do that. But you know, he 26 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 2: has spent a lot of time considering his position and 27 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 2: what defense, if any, he had, And I think his 28 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 2: public statements are very clear that he's taken a very difficult, 29 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 2: but I think appropriate decision. He's accepted responsibility, express regret, 30 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 2: and apologized he's lost his job. I'm really not sure 31 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 2: what more he could do. 32 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: Did he move ground significantly? I was told early on 33 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: he was, if not a ghast at it, certainly surprised. 34 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 1: He couldn't work out what he'd done wrong. Was that fair? 35 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 2: I think it's for him a little while to learn 36 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 2: the magnitude. But he is not a stupid person or 37 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 2: in any form of denial. It just he absorbed the 38 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: IPCA report, as he said, he was shocked when he 39 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 2: read the totality of what went on. 40 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: The apology in his wording, is that all him? 41 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 2: It's him and me? I think he those words are 42 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 2: his words, are not my words. But I strongly endorse 43 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 2: what he's done, and I think it shows an accountability 44 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 2: in action. We don't see a lot of it. 45 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: No, I was just what I want to know, is 46 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: he genuine in the apology. I mean, he's come to 47 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: a conclusion that he's genuinely sorry. He genuinely made a mistake, 48 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: and you know he's going to lessen here. 49 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 2: All my experiences of Anti Costa, he's a very genuine person, 50 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: he's very sincere, and he has got real courage. I 51 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 2: absolutely believe what he said. 52 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: He believes right now that you've dispensed with this, and 53 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: I presume you're going on holiday, where's this reorganization of 54 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 1: the public service got to while you've been handling all 55 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:43,519 Speaker 1: this nonsense. 56 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,239 Speaker 2: It's progressing. We still have a plan, which I've talked 57 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,119 Speaker 2: about publicly. Ultimately it will be a matter for decision 58 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: by ministers. But I'm strongly of the view that we 59 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 2: have too many entities. We could do the same amount 60 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 2: of work with less entities. We could remove duplication, adop technology. 61 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: I believe it's a really strong story for those who 62 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 2: work in the public. 63 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 1: Good good good. When's it all going to happen? 64 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: I would like to start early next year if I could, 65 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 2: but this will take three to five years. It's not 66 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: an overnight thing. It doesn't need to be. But if 67 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 2: we don't move now, our options will become less and less. 68 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 2: I think that's to the detriment of the taxpath. 69 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: Good stuff. Nice to talk to you, Brian go Well. 70 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: Subrian writes Public Services Commissioned. For more from the mic 71 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks. It'd be from 72 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio