It begins: "The government was like a gigantic ant heap in which it was very difficult to find the right ant but easier to get information if you were a female with a few traditional wiles, Pat Huntley, the journalist who wrote How to get money out of the government, told the 'women and politics' conference at the ANU.

"'There is no discrimination in the public service,' she said. 'Senior members are predominantly male, so a nice smile and an occasional appeal to male ego does wonders. That way I got several documents which were meant for internal eyes only.'"

Huntley went on: "'I also got some very choice titbits and examples from senior civil servants. I think the best ... must be the one from the Health Department about the $2500 grant to a certain rather swinging professor who wanted to carry out experiments in sexual arousal in women.

"'Most of the grant, I was very pleased to be told by one of the liaison officers, went on volunteer expenses. Women apparently got $20 a session but men, the poor fellows who did all the hard work, they only got $2.'"

Times have changed, huh? (In many ways.)

Half of today's federal departmental secretaries are women. Women are approaching parity at most levels of the senior executive service. The Australian Public Service is a vanguard of positive social change - decades ahead of many other industries.

Yet there's an area of government where women haven't caught up: those on the outside who can offer critical advice need a much louder voice.

This is my final issue of the Informant as editor, which I've been lucky enough to do for 11 years. I have too many wonderful contributors to thank individually.

Yet I failed, as editor, to bring enough female voices to these pages.

Perhaps I didn't try enough, though about four in five of those I approached felt they couldn't write on the proposed topic. Their reasons were sometimes perfectly valid (they didn't want to, or lacked the time) but I was troubled by a refrain that seems to haunt this city: "I'd like to say it but I'm worried about the repercussions."

Many senior public servants spin great lines about "talking truth to power", "learning by failing", "welcoming robust debate" and the "freedom to make mistakes".

But here are some counterpoints, as told to me. A female former agency head: "I'm torn. This needs to be said but I was shredded the last time." From a female former deputy secretary: "I'd love to but I've seen how that secretary reacts." From a female partner of a large (big four) consulting firm: "It's just not possible to phrase this publicly in a way that will work."

Help the Informant bridge this divide. We proudly take a frank and fearless approach to the conundrums of government. There is immense public value in critical, objective commentary on public administration.

As more women take hold of the bureaucracy's reins, perhaps there will be fewer men around (assuming men are the problem) to punish those who dare to critique, whether by withholding contracts, appointments or introductions. I also hope more of the growing community of senior women feel free to share publicly their experience and expertise, so as to improve the APS.

For now, soak in the best government commentary you'll find this month. Thanks for reading.