An email just to hand, sent to Crikey from an Australian MBA student (flower of our youth) now working in London:

From:

To:
Sent: Tuesday, 28 October, 2008 23:55:38
Subject: SANZA (South Africa – New Zealand – Australia): URGENT – Response required: AUSTRALIAN STUDENTS interested in PUBLIC POLICY

Hi Everyone,

We have had a great opportunity come up for AUSTRALIAN students. Russell Egan — Assistant Secretary (senior manager) in the newly created Strategy and Delivery Division of the Australian Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is in London for a series of bilateral meetings with the British Government.

The PM&C is interested in recruiting top-tier MBAs with an interest in public policy for both summer internships and full-time roles in the new Division.

Please email me by 8pm tonight if you are interested in meeting with Mr. Egan this Thursday 30th October. Time/location to be confirmed but likely lunch or afternoon.

If you are unable to make it tomorrow but would potentially be interested then send me an email and I might be able to forward him your email address so the Division can get in touch.

Sorry for the late notice but I have literally just now received the email of his interest.

A sudden focus on strategy and delivery (how odd that the PM’s department never had this section before!)? A search for fine Aussie minds abroad? What could have filled the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet with such a sense of urgency? Are we headed for an MBA-led recovery? Local MBA students should take note. Arts undergraduates will have to wait for further serious declines in Wall St performance … but their moment may come.