Reserve Bank of Australia Annual Report – 1970 Staff

The Board appreciates the contribution made by the staff to the efficient functioning of the Bank during the year.

Staff numbers increased by 1.8 per cent over the previous year. Of the total of 3,482 at 30 June 1970, 997 were employed in the Administration, 1,647 in the Branches, and 838 at Note Issue Department.

During the year, officers from the Bank of England, Bank of Indonesia, Central Bank of Iran and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand were attached to the Bank for short terms. In addition, participants in the SEANZA central bank staff inter-change scheme from the Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of Pakistan spent some time with the Bank. An officer of the Reserve Bank was seconded to the Papua and New Guinea Development Bank, and two members of the staff took up secondments with the International Monetary Fund. Officers concluded secondments with the Central Bank of Kenya, the Bank of Zambia, the South Pacific Commission, the Central Statistical Bureau of the Government of Malaysia and the International Monetary Fund.

During 1969/70, officers participated in training courses held by the Australian Administrative Staff College, Bankers' Overseas Trade Course and the University of New South Wales Management Course. In addition, the Bank conducted its own courses at its Staff Training College, Kirribilli.

Senior officers to retire during the year were Mr. W.H. Wilcock, Adviser and General Manager, Note Issue Department, Mr H.L. Bailey, Manager for Queensland and Mr K.H. Procter, Manager, Canberra. In July 1970, two other senior officers, namely, Mr I.A. Butler, Adviser to the Governor, and Mr J.G. Menzies, Manager for Victoria, also retired from the Bank.

In October 1969, Mr H.R. Longmuir, an Adviser to the Governor, was appointed General Manager of the Note Issue Department and, in November 1969, Messrs W.G. Brazenor and S.C. Done were appointed Managers for Queensland and Canberra respectively. Following Mr Menzies' retirement, Mr W.G. Brazenor was appointed Manager for Victoria and he was succeeded as Manager for Queensland by Mr R.C. Cooper.

Changes in Administrative Structure

Following investigations carried out during the year, it was decided to change the administrative structure of the Bank. The adjustments involve a reallocation of existing functions and a new departmental framework. The changes are now being implemented and the names of the new departments and senior staff appointments to them are shown on pages 44 and 45. The reorganisation was considered necessary as departments were tending to become too large and covering too wide a field of activity.