Sunrise host Nat Barr raises questions over Kmart claims live on air: ‘Not attractive’

Jun 06, 2024

Sunrise host Nat Barr has shared details of a disparaging email that a Reserve Bank of Australia staff member wrote about Kmart and BIG W during a live TV segment.

The popular star raised the issue during an interview with Labor Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek and former deputy prime minister and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce to discuss controversy surrounding the RBA’s spending.

The central bank is under fire after internal emails released under Freedom of Information revealed the RBA spent thousands in taxpayers’ money on soirees.

Stream the world's best reality, entertainment and true crime shows for free on 7Bravo on 7plus >>

They included details of one board dinner in November, for which the RBA spent more than $13,000 on food and nearly $4000 on alcohol just hours after delivering another rate rise.

Nat also revealed one email from an RBA staff member suggested shopping for Christmas decorations at Kmart and BIG W to save money.

But while the major retailers are hugely popular with millions of Australians for festive items, the worker appears to take a dig at the stores in their note.

“One staff member actually raised concerns about the spending and then for the Christmas party they said ‘I know it sounds not attractive, but Kmart and BIG W do have some good Christmas decorations at a budget price’,” she said.

Joyce agreed the RBA should be more open about its spending.

“Come on, come on, that is other people’s money and you gotta be more transparent about it,” he said.

“If you are completely happy with the money you are spending on lunch and a $4000 grog bill and a $13,000 food bill, then make sure you put it out into the papers the next day. ‘We had dinner last night and this is how much we spent.’

“And of course you wouldn’t do that. I got no problems with them having lunches and dinners, we are not that stupid. They are a professional organisation.”

Plibersek agreed that “any public institution has to be very careful with the way that it spends its money”.

She added: “And one of the changes that our treasurer Jim Chalmers has proposed when it comes the Reserve Bank — he’s done a review — is that it should be more transparent and should give regular press conferences, for example, to explain the decisions it’s making to Australians.”

For more engaging lifestyle content, visit 7Life on Facebook.

Stream Free on