Patricia Scott exits department, NBN roles

James Riley
Thursday, 13 August 2009 05:51

IT Industry - Market

The long-serving communications department secretary Patricia Scott will leave the post shortly as part of a Rudd Government shake-up of the most senior ranks of public servants.

Scott, an economist, was appointed secretary of the Department of Communications, IT and the Arts (DCITA) under Helen Coonan in 2007 and remained in the position as it transformed into the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) under Minister Stephen Conroy.

It is understood Scott will be appointed to head the Productivity Commission ss one part of a major reshuffle of public service mandarins being undertaken by the PM’s office.

The move had been speculated in News Ltd online properties last night. A well placed Government source confirmed to iTWire this morning that Scott would leave the department.

There has been speculation the relationship between the Minister and Scott had been difficult since the earliest days of the new Government, thought to be a hand-over from exchanges when Senator Conroy was attacking the Howard Government from the opposition benches.

Regardless, Scott has been a major player in the development of the Rudd Government’s National Broadband Network plans, and her move from DBCDE has immediate implications for the NBN policy development.

As departmental secretary, Scott is chaired the Conroy-appointed Panel of Experts that assessed the proposals in the original RFP to build the NBN.

Shadow communications minister Nick Minchin said it would be “outrageous” and “unacceptable” if Scott were being made to pay a price for what he calls incompetent Government handling of the NBN process.

He said reports that Scott had a difficult relationship with Senator Conroy were not surprising.

“Ms Scott is an outstanding public servant, with whom I worked closely during my six years as Minister for Finance and Administration. She has served both the Howard and Rudd Governments with distinction and professionalism,” Senator Minchin said.

“It would be absolutely outrageous if Ms Scott becomes a sacrificial lamb as a result of the Rudd Government’s incompetent and chaotic attempts to implement its promises in the Communications portfolio.

“Ms Scott should not be made to pay the price for Senator Conroy’s inept handling of Labor’s promises to build a National Broadband Network and to censor the Internet. If anyone is to pay a price it should be the Minister himself,” Senator Minchin said.

Scott is among the ranks of the most senior Canberra bureaucrats, having joined the public service in 1990. She has previously been secretary of the Department of Human Services, and a deputy secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.