The opposition's official government waste watcher has questioned Labor's priorities as it gets ready to fund a round of bargaining to reach a new pay deal for public servants.
Tony Pasin was appointed the opposition's spokesperson for scrutiny of government waste and accountability earlier this year.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor made the appointment saying Mr Pasin would "take aim at Labor's rorts and waste that are driving up inflation".
Speaking in the federation chamber earlier this month, Mr Pasin gave some insight into where he thinks Labor could trim the fat.
"Senate estimates has already shown that the government's fuel supply tsar is earning $2750 a day, or the equivalent of a million dollars a year," he said on June 3.
"On top of this, the simultaneous expansion of the public service, the funding of bargaining processes and the presentation of a budget that does not accommodate expected cost increases are reinforcing concern about Labor's broader fiscal approach."
The government is gearing up for a round of service-wide bargaining to agree on a common pay and conditions deal for more than 100 agencies.
The Public Service Commission will negotiate with unions and other representatives on behalf of the government and has received $19.2 million over the next four financial years, partially to support its key role in the upcoming talks.
While the Coalition takes aim at the process, the main public sector union is frustrated that it hasn't even gotten underway yet.
The Community and Public Sector union wrote to incoming Public Service Commissioner Jacqui Curtis on June 16, calling for the talks to get started immediately.
While the commission is yet to fire the starting gun, Public Eye understands it will do so imminently.
It's not often that you get a look behind the curtain at the working relationships between some of the country's most senior public servants.
It's even less common when one half of the equation is the country's spy boss, Mike Burgess.
After delivering the annual threat assessment, the Director-General of Security tacked on a heartfelt shoutout to the outgoing Chief of the Defence Force David Johnston.
Mr Johnston will retire in July when his two-year term at the helm of Defence ends, with Mark Hammond to take over in the top job.
Mr Burgess paid tribute to his departing colleague at the end of an address in which he warned that Australia's terror threat level system was in need of review in order to accurately capture the current risk.
"I wanted to, from myself, recognise you for your leadership," the spy boss said, before going on to name Mr Johnston as an "exemplar" of leadership.
"There'll be moments when I'm having a moment, where I'll ask myself, 'What would David do?'"
It's nearly impossible to open Instagram these days without catching an MP bopping away to a new trend, but not everyone is on board.
Asked about his least favourite parts of modern politics, Liberal senator James Paterson last week called out its "performative nature".
"Speaking really candidly, we do a lot of, you know, bullshit behaviour that are stunts for social media to try and get clicks and likes, and some MPs are willing to degrade themselves in almost any way to try to get an extra view on their social media reels," Senator Paterson told 2GB.
"If ever political success requires me to dance in a TikTok video, I would rather lose an election than degrade myself and the parliamentary system like that."
"Because, actually, frankly, when Australians are struggling to pay their electricity bills or their mortgage, I'm not sure they really want to see highly-paid politicians in Canberra dancing around like they are social media influencers."
Despite his staunch position against TikTok dances, Senator Paterson has collected a respectable 66,000 followers on Instagram, where his staff clip up reels of him delivering monologues at press conferences and in Senate estimates.
Speaking of very serious business, the press gallery's Midwinter Ball will be held in Canberra this week and a suite of auction items have been unveiled for those eager to secure some precious time with some of the country's most powerful politicians.
The proceeds from the auction are donated to charity and this year's lineup includes the customary game of tennis with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Lodge, with hospitality and refreshments for four people.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor and deputy leader Jane Hume will host six people at Mr Taylor's southern NSW home for a meal.
The blurb for the item even mentions that Senator Hume will be "on hand to make her Instagram-famous cocktails on arrival" (Public Eye wonders if talking about politics while making cocktails passes the Paterson test).
But the newest item on the agenda features a chance for four guests to sauna with independent Senator David Pocock at the territory's "[literal] hottest new venue" - a floating sauna on Lake Burley Griffin.
And people say Canberra is boring.
