Puffer jackets in the public service, and is the National Disability Insurance Agency full of Martins?

And we know you've got your ear to the ground, so please keep us in the loop on what's being talked about in your agency.

Martin Hoffman's exit from the National Disability Insurance Agency ends a chapter that many sections of the disability sector would like to forget. The chief executive had not even officially finished his role before one curious observer lodged a yet more curious freedom of information request.

"Please provide a summary of how many times the statement 'Martin wants', 'Martin doesn't want' and 'Martin does not want' are mentioned or cited across all NDIS records and communications since the CEO Martin Hoffman was appointed on 4 Dec 2019."

Strange, indeed. But we should tell you the answer, now that we've brought this up. The NDIA's searches returned the following results: "Martin wants" - 5278 hits. "Martin doesn't want" - 185 hits. "Martin does not want" - 191 hits.

The NDIA included a caveat, though. "Please note that these results would include any staff member or applicant within the NDIA with the name Martin," the agency said.

Thanks for clarifying, but now we wonder, how many Martins work in the NDIA?

If you work for a federal agency and don't wear a lanyard, are you even a real public servant? Let's face it, probably not.

But what if you don't wear the ultimate in Canberra high fashion, the puffer jacket? One punter posted online last month with a question about the appropriate attire for their new public service job.

"How long do I have to wait before I can buy a Kathmandu puffer jacket?" they asked, presumably shivering with each keystroke. "I want to fit in but I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard to fit in, you know?"

Good question, and one that drew 118 responses, no less.

"Wait, they gave you a job without one??" someone asked in response. "In my last APS application I had to submit a copy of my drivers licence, proof of Aus residency and a copy of my Kathmandu receipt."

One poor soul wrote: "If I didn't turn up in a suit, tie and pocket square I'd be put on a performance plan."

The general consensus was that puffer jackets are, indeed, essential kit in the Australian Public Service. Whether to choose Kathmandu, Macpac, North Face or another brand is more open to debate.

We make no endorsement as to the best option here, but welcome your views.

A hotly-anticipated review into the APS hierarchy, released Friday, has stirred up discussions among lanyard-wearers.

It could mean some APS 6 staff will have their rank supremacy over APS 5 co-workers questioned and moving into an EL 1 role might not necessarily mean inheriting six new reports.

But like everything else in public service, change isn't expected overnight. It might still be a few years before bureaucrats are known by titles rather than a numeric band.

The review's chair, Heather Smith, explains to Harley Dennett why it was her top recommendation, and outlines what she thinks should come next in the APS. But Andrew Podger is certainly not a fan. He's written a new opinion piece and says there are some serious weaknesses in the review's report.

What do you think of the idea of ideas in there? We'd love to hear your thoughts on what would - and wouldn't work - and why. Email us at ps@canberratimes.com.au

The Australian Taxation Office had some eminently sensible advice for staff this week. In its newsletter, it warned them not to let their guard down by leaving computers unlocked when leaving their desk. Sure, very fair. But the scenarios the agency describes make us wonder. "'I only need to go to the printer', 'the kitchen is right there', 'I just need to quickly talk to Stella'.

"A few moments are all it takes to land yourself in hot water. Don't let complacency get the better of you. Lock your computer when you are away from your desk (regardless of whether you're in the office or at home) - and don't forget to secure any protectively marked documents in an appropriate security container while you're at it!"

We want our tax officials to be careful with information, so by all means, do as the newsletter says.

But who is Stella? And while we're talking about it, how many Stellas work in the ATO?

Someone at the Department of Social Services is making sure the world is in no doubt about the musical choices of Belconnen Football Club.

According to a Twitter account detecting Wikipedia edits made from government departments, the DSS footy fan updated their favourite local team's page to say its club song was sung to the tune of "Goodbye, Dolly Gray" (think the melody from the Collingwood song).

Fair enough. Except that four days later, our faithful DSS bureaucrat then changed it back to "The Yankee Doodle Boy".

We haven't been to watch the Magpies yet, so for now, we rely on Wikipedia.

Things are heating up for the government in the Senate. Or rather, they're apparently not.

In one of the 47th Parliament's first questions on notice, controversial Queensland senator Matt Canavan raised a strange tidbit for his state counterpart, Murray Watt.

Did the Infrastructure Department turn off heating - or reduce their offices' temperatures - between June 6 and June 15? And if it did, Senator Canavan posed, what was the magic temperature set to?

In a surely record-breaking response, Senator Watt assured him on the same day those at the coalface did not have to turn the heating off - and it certainly wasn't a ministerial direction.

Nineteen months on since receiving a department warning, Kevin Rudd is eager to make his point heard.

Anyone with a keen eye on the foreign influence register - a Turnbull-era initiative - might have noticed the former prime minister is a regular sight.

And since January 2021, his numerous entries include a lengthy breakdown of his frustration with the Attorney-General's Department's "strange view".

See, the then-acting secretary, Iain Anderson, wrote to Rudd to request he include his appearances on foreign media, including the BBC.

Since then, he has made sure to make his dissatisfaction known in every detailed entry entered since.

An overreaction? Or, as Rudd describes it, another case of bureaucracy being "ridiculous", "redundant" and a "waste of both officials' time and taxpayer funds"?

Is the puffer jacket a staple of every public servant wardrobe? And which brand is best? Are you grateful your EL 1's title might be reconsidered? Is someone messing with your department's air conditioning settings? Do you know what Martin wants?

Email us at ps@canberratimes.com.au or send your tips and feedback through the form below.