Deloitte may be on a prudent cost-cutting drive, but it still found the cash to send its partners to Cairns for a retreat last week.

And as they sunned themselves up north, mild panic continues to thrum in Deloitte’s offices across the country. Seemingly not satisfied with sacking 55 partners in the firm’s strategy and consulting division, as this column revealed last month, new CEO Joanne Gorton’s mission to reduce headcount continues.