Mandarin moves
The appointment of Jenny Wilkinson as Australian's first female Treasury secretary is clearly a historic moment. What it says about the government's economic plans is less certain.
It was a mic drop moment for women in economics at the National Press Club this afternoon as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Jenny Wilkinson will become the first female Treasury secretary.
Wilkinson joins the ranks of the Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock and the Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood in terms of influence over Australia's economic policy. It is the first time all three roles have been filled by women. And it aligns with progress made at the big banks with the appointment of NAB chief economist Sally Auld and Westpac’s Luci Ellis.
Wilkinson will now also become an ex officio member of the Reserve Bank monetary policy board. Alongside Bullock as chair and board members Alison Watkins, Carolyn Hewson, Renee Fry-McKibbin, Marnie Baker, this marks the first time there's been a majority of women at the table deciding on interest rates.
This is undoubtedly a historic change for the public service. But the ramifications for economic policymaking are less easy to glean.
