Keating even raised the risk of an AussieDonald Trump if the model passed into law.

But the encounter at Keating’s Potts Point pied-a-terre was entirely amicable,apparently.

“To do Mr Keating his due,he has been the primary moving force for the republic in the modern era and on that we had no disagreement,” Fitz — the chair of the Australian Republican Movement,who is also a columnist at this paper — told CBD.

“We differ only on the model for the next go. He remains a staunch advocate of revisiting the model put forth in 1999.”

The ARM is proposing a new republican model based on an Irish template in which state and territory governments put forward candidates for a national vote. He says there’s been flak,but this model has prompted an unprecedented surge in donations.

But Keating,who toldQueen Elizabethat Balmoral in 1993 that Her Majesty’s services were no longer required in Oz,remains a sceptic. He declined to put his thoughts on record,but did not demur from FitzSimons’ narrative. That’s detente,we guess.

IN THE OUT TRAY

It’s been five minutes since Australia Post welcomedTanny Mangos as the utility’s new executive general manager,community,sustainability and stakeholder engagement.

Mangos held senior roles at the Bank of Queensland (fun fact:she’s the wife of former newsreaderJohn Mangos). A release announcing her appointment noted Mangos’ “[passion for] driving positive change for organisations and industry”.

Presumably that passion has come in handy this month after the sudden departure of a long-serving executive. Corporate affairs general managerMichelle Skehanquit Australia Post suddenly in January after nine years leaving a gaping hole in the outfit’s communications function — not to mention crisis management know-how. Skehan has been an unfailing presence at Post as it navigated the tumult of leadership change,a government inquiry and public opprobrium aimed at former chief executiveChristine Holgate over revelations she gifted four Cartier watches to top-performing staff.

Neither party was prepared to comment on whether lawyers were called in.

On Thursday,a Post spokesperson confirmed Skehan’s departure — and the hole that remains. “Michelle Skehan left us last month after nine years of tremendous service at Australia Post and we wish her well in her future endeavours. A replacement is yet to be announced.”

Skehan made the news in LinkedIn official,apparently uploading the news from a beach in Hawaii. Whether she pitches up at Toll Global Express with her old boss Holgate is anybody’s guess.

BAND BACK TOGETHER

Speaking of former Australia Post executives,there’s a new chapter about to begin for former Victorian Labor frontbencher turned Post execPhilip Dalidakis. The well-dressed former MP,who swapped state politics for Post and then quit nine months later,has joined forces with former Minerals Council of Australia climate and energy policy directorPatrick Gibbonsand public relations bossVanessa Liell to launch Orizontas,a dedicated risk advisory outfit specialising in climate,market and political risk.

Liell is best known recently for her tenure inside digital recruitment platform Commtract. Gibbons is a former senior energy adviser to both Bracks and Baillieu governments and went onto serve as a senior adviser to then environment ministerGreg Hunt before the Minerals Council. An advisory board also includes some familiar suspects including former Victorian premierTed Baillieu,former Post executiveAnnette Carey who quit Team Holgate in June last year to take a role heading Linfox Armaguard,and Australian Energy Market Operator directorKee Wong who has also served as an adviser to the Victorian government. Quite the reunion.

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