Backroom Baz: Monique Ryan advertises for assistant to sign confidentiality clause

Transparency was key to Monique Ryan’s successful pitch for the seat of Kooyong but now it seems she wants everything kept confidential.

Transparency was at the core of independent Monique Ryan’s successful pitch for the seat of Kooyong.

So Baz was rather surprised by an ad to work in Ryan’s office he spotted as he was scrolling through Seek.

Don’t be alarmed, this was strictly for research – Baz is very content in his current role, although he would happily discuss a pay rise.

Amid a lengthy list of required experience and likely duties for Ryan’s diary manager was a note that “all employees are expected to sign a confidentiality agreement”.

Monique Ryan is looking for an executive assistant who can keep secrets. Picture: Getty Images

The job ad on Seek.

Baz’s sources in Canberra say this highly unusual, even in ministerial teams or the Prime Minister’s office. What could be the reason for such a rule?

She and her teal colleagues have been fuming that Anthony Albanese cut their allocation of advisers from four to one, on top of four electorate office staff, with new Goldstein MP Zoe Daniel saying it would leave the crossbench “drowning” in work.

But maybe Daniel didn’t quite get the PM’s memo. Baz is reliably informed she has three advisers listed on the parliamentary system.

Third dose the trick

For many workers out there, mandates for a third Covid dose have been around for a while and, in the case of roles like teaching, have been and gone.

Not so for staff in the Premier’s Private Office who have recently been told they must be up to date with their vaccinations, meaning three jabs are a must.

Victoria’s rules are now focused on employers setting their own rules for vaccination so the edict comes no doubt straight from the top!

First day faux pax

On Spring St, everyone’s heads are still spinning from all the Cabinet exits, promotions and appointments of the past two weeks.

One could be forgiven for struggling to keep track.

Even the Andrews Government’s own public communications got a bit confused when they put out a press release on Monday quoting Natalie Hutchins as Corrections Minister. Unfortunately the Sydenham MP left this portfolio behind when she was promoted to Education last week, with Sonya Kilkenny stepping into the role.

Kilkenny was sworn in on the same morning as the release, having missed the first ceremony with Covid, so there’s a chance it may have been technically correct.

Sonya Kilkenny at her swearing-in as Corrections Minister.

Guy’s uneasy smile

Baz has only just started to get his head around the inner workings of Twitter, but it seems he’ll have to turn his attention to TikTok.

After all, that’s where all the political people are, as they desperately try to position themselves as hip, cool and relevant to the young folk ahead of the election.

But one particular video that popped up on Baz’s timeline left him feeling a bit uneasy.

The video, posted by the official Liberal Victoria page under the banner ”remember this November”, was just a collation of photos spruiking Matthew Guy’s smile.

It appears the people behind the bizarre account have drawn inspiration from the #IStandWithDan crew, declaring they had officially become a “stan account” for the opposition leader.

Take me back to a time before social media.

Anyone else suddenly feeling queasy?

Jeff Kennett’s backing could shorten the odds for Ranjana Srivastava in the Liberal preselection race. Picture: David Caird

Support from Jeff field

The Liberal preselection races for the upper house regions of North Eastern Metro and Western Metro are truly Melbourne Cup fields.

Not only in the sense that the result is hard to pick, but in the sense that Baz feels like he’s most of the names on a formguide many times before.

But columnist and medical professional Ranjana Srivastava is one name whose price keeps coming in.

Srivastava is understood to have been backed by none other than former premier Jeff Kennett for a number 2 spot on the North Eastern ticket.

The endorsement could give her a real boost in a crowded field which includes former Chisholm MP Gladys Liu.

Meanwhile, trying to figure out what’s happening in the west after the departure of Bernie Finn is truly anyone’s guess, with councillors Trung Luu and Goran Kesic among those putting their names in the mix.

Baz feels more confident betting his money at Sha Tin.

Guess who

Which high profile media personality was turned away from a press conference this week?