PODCAST: The Hoot on Optus, Elizabeth Lee and how you know you’re a public servant

Elizabeth Lee making her case for the top job. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

If you’re an Optus customer, you might still be feeling pretty snarky with Australia’s second-biggest mobile provider after Wednesday’s shenanigans.

Communications minister Michelle Rowland is certainly not happy, particularly given the near-total silence from Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin as millions of frustrated users made their displeasure, frustration and anger clear.

So when telecommunications play such a big role in our lives, is there a role for the government to step in? Should the free market obligation to the shareholders supersede obligations to the customer?

Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee made her first pitch to voters for the 2024 election at the Press Club this week and it was an impressive start. The performance was polished, although the substance was a little light on – and arguably, that’s fair enough this far out from the October poll.

But can she escape the deep ideological divides inside the party room? And have the Liberals managed to cut through with their messaging, whether they’re right or wrong on the politics of light rail?

And finally, the CPSU’s leadership is under challenge with the emergence of a breakaway group arguing, among other things, that APS4 staff currently on wages of just under $ 80k per annum are significantly underpaid.

It’s enough to make you yearn for the public service – unless, of course, you’re already there.

The Hoot appears every week on Riotact and wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple and Spotify. Have a listen, tell us what you think and rate us.