Reserve Bank of Australia Annual Report – 1974 Staff

The foregoing discussion gives some indication of the breadth of the Bank's functions; performance requires a versatile staff with a wide range of skills and experience. These are needed to provide normal banking operations for government clients, to carry out the note printing and issue activities (where staff with specialised qualifications in a number of skilled trades are found) and to operate the economic policy advising areas (which employ graduates in economics, commerce and allied disciplines).

At 30 June 1974 the Bank's staff numbered 3,649. It is the efforts of all these people with differing backgrounds and expertise that make possible the efficient functioning of the Bank. The Board appreciates the way in which the staff met the variety of challenges which emerged during the past year.

The Bank fosters formal study by its staff. In addition, as part of its development programme, the Bank has continued “in house” courses at its Staff Training College in Sydney, and has sponsored selected officers to external courses and seminars conducted by the Australian Administrative Staff College, The Bankers' Administrative Staff College, SEANZA, and the Bank of England, as well as a number of specialised courses and seminars.

A number of staff are on secondment to government departments and committees; their numbers include Mr A.S. Holmes, Adviser, who is director of the Priorities Review Staff. Overseas secondments embrace the Bank of Papua New Guinea, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, The Federation of Savings and Loan Societies in Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guinea's Department of Finance.

In contrast to the two preceding years, staff numbers increased by 177 in the year ended 30 June. The reduction in numbers arising from the transfer of indigenous staff employed in the Port Moresby branch of the Bank to the Bank of Papua New Guinea when that institution commenced operations on 1 November, was more than offset by the recruitment of staff in conjunction with the opening of the Bank's new offices in Perth and Brisbane, and the introduction of centralised cash handling facilities in those cities.

Since the last Annual Report was published, a number of senior officers have retired. These included two Advisers to the Governor—Mr R.T. Walker, who retired at the end of October last, and Mr J.B. Wright in January 1974. Other senior staff to retire were the Manager for South Australia, Mr A.R. Read, the Manager, London, Mr T.L. Pavey, and the Manager of Exchange Control Department, Head Office, Mr L.K. Wilson.