Reserve Bank of Australia Annual Report – 1973 Staff

The Board expresses its appreciation of the standard of efficiency maintained by the staff throughout a year of increased activity and recurring pressures in many areas of operation.

Reflecting reviews of procedures and staff resources throughout the Bank, staff numbers fell for the second successive year and, at end June 1973, were slightly below the 1970 level. Of the total staff of 3,472 at 30 June 1973, 1,066 were in the Administration in Sydney, 1,661 in the branches and 745 in Note Issue Department, Melbourne.

In 1972/73, officers either commenced or continued secondments to the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank and the Commonwealth Public Service. Mr J.B. Wright, Adviser to the Governor, was appointed to a Committee of Enquiry established by the Government to report on national superannuation schemes and to recommend one suitable for Australia. Dr D.G. Badger, Assistant Adviser and Manager, Accounting Department, has been seconded to act as Banking Adviser to the Department of Finance of Papua New Guinea.

The Bank was represented at the deliberations on international monetary reform at meetings both of the Committee of Twenty and their Deputies (see page 11). Officers also attended various committee meetings of the O.E.C.D., which Australia joined in 1971.

Officers continued to receive specialised training through attendance at external courses both in Australia and overseas. Internal courses were also conducted at the Bank's Staff Training College.

Two senior officers — Mr H.R. Longmuir, Adviser to the Governor, and Mr A.G. Winton, Manager, Services Department — have retired since the last Report was prepared.