Treasury out of touch and arrogant, says official review

ONE of Australia's most powerful institutions, the Commonwealth Treasury, has admitted it is seen as arrogant and needs to acquire a better understanding of groups outside government, especially business.

A wide-ranging review by senior Treasury officials recommends Treasury improves its ''engagement and consultation'' so it can give better policy advice. Greater use of social media and other new communication technologies were flagged.


A ''perception of arrogance in our behaviours can limit our external effectiveness'', it noted.

While the department's legendary hard-headed approach was affirmed as a key strength, the review said ''a better recognition of the limits of our knowledge/frameworks will improve engagement with stakeholders and assist us to obtain relevant skills, knowledge and data from others''.

Better collaboration with other organisations would improve Treasury's ''effectiveness and influence'', it says.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/treasury-out-of-touch-and-arrogant-says-official-review-20111223-1p8kh.html#ixzz1hRir42Cz

I don't know why they needed a report to tell them what's so blatantly obvious. To be fair, though, people say a lot worse about my department, so much so that after experiencing a taxi-driver who got a bit angry when I told him where I worked, that I took to telling people I work at Treasury if they ask...