Dan Holmes
dholmesnoise.bsky.social
Dan Holmes
@dholmesnoise.bsky.social
Canberra based journalist with themandarin.com.au covering the Australian public sector.

Nerd. Context advocate. Recovering composer and music dude.

dholmes@themandarin.com.au
Apsanonymous@proton.me
Signal: Apsanonymous.2600
Bit of a sleeper issue lately, but I think this is really worth talking about.
Federal government records biggest ad spend outside COVID
The federal government racked up a near-record advertising spend last year, continuing a trend of self-promotion in election years.
www.themandarin.com.au
February 3, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Something that might have flown under the radar in the recent unscheduled return of parliament.

#ausnews #auspol
Government to establish National Firearms Safety Council
The government has agreed to set up a new national-level firearm safety body. Here's what we know so far.
www.themandarin.com.au
February 2, 2026 at 9:34 PM
My heatwave brings all the birds to the yard
January 28, 2026 at 4:09 AM
My big takeaway from this was that if I wanted a career full of adventure and opportunity, I should have studied geology. Who knew looking at rocks could be so exciting?
Peter Cook: A public service career you couldn't start today
A long public service career that began in a very different system. Peter Cook explains why it would not happen now.
www.themandarin.com.au
January 26, 2026 at 11:28 PM
It's so hard for me to process that some of these things happened this year!

#auspol #ausnews
Public service under siege in 2025
We look back on the year's DOGEy plans, Whitehall overhauls, and chainsaws for bureaucracy.
www.themandarin.com.au
December 17, 2025 at 9:19 PM
This is a tough time of year for a lot of folks, including me. Music is one of my coping strategies.

Who has suggestions for this Grinchy playlist?
Grinchy Christmas
open.spotify.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Rapid rundown on Natalie James' time at DEWR

#auspol #ausnews
Natalie James' term at DEWR in review
For a public servant, DEWR's Natalie James spent a lot of time in the limelight. We look back on her three-and-a-half years at the top.
www.themandarin.com.au
December 16, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Biggest government appointments of the year

#aupol #ausnews
Top of their game: Senior public service appointments of 2025
The Mandarin's month-by-month rundown of the biggest Movers and Shakers of the year.
www.themandarin.com.au
December 15, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by Dan Holmes
Have spent the day resolutely focused on all the people who helped, who risked their own safety to ensure the safety of others. It’s no small thing in all that horror. Hate is a sickness.
December 14, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Another booting for DEWR and Services Australia.

#ausnews #auspol
Ombud strikes another blow in unlawful welfare cancellation saga
DEWR, Services Australia, and individual providers all get a kick in Iain Anderson's second report on the Targeted Compliance Framework.
www.themandarin.com.au
December 9, 2025 at 2:30 AM
This is most of what I was able to gather from the APS minister yesterday on the "jobs for mates" review.

#auspol #ausnews
APS minister defends response to nepotism review
Katy Gallagher faced a barrage of questions in Senate estimates about the government response to the scathing Briggs review.
www.themandarin.com.au
December 2, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Season 3 of Senate v the NACC has dropped.

#auspol #ausnews
NACC whacked at Senate estimates
Senate estimates turned tense as the NACC chief pushed back on claims about past advice work and defended the commission’s integrity under sharp questioning.
www.themandarin.com.au
December 1, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Dan Holmes
🤓 GRATTAN’S 2025 WONKS’ LIST 🤓

In addition to our Prime Minister’s Summer Reading List, our Wonks’ List highlights some of the year’s best technical policy reads.

Here are our picks for 2025. buff.ly/YcFqGwm #auspol #ausecon
buff.ly
December 1, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Back on the tools and covering senate estimates this week. tips and Q's welcome.

#ausnews #estimates #auspol
December 1, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Banger.

Common Sense 325 – Who’s the Boss? – Dan Carlin share.google/obdQIzuZ6uvG...
Common Sense 325 – Who’s the Boss? – Dan Carlin
share.google
November 25, 2025 at 6:32 AM