BUSINESSES may be easing off on executive recruitment as the end of the financial year nears, but governments around Australia are spending what’s left of their budgets to buy up big. According to executive search firm EL Consult, government sector demand for executives surged in May. The EL Index showed that demand for executives by governments lifted between 25 per cent and 50 per cent over the previous month. EL Consult managing director Grant Montgomery said the end of the financial year highlighted the differences between the government and business sectors. “After a booming year, the business sector is now cooling their executive recruitment program as the year-end approaches,” Mr Montgomery said. “Governments, in contrast, are busily spending any budget they have left.”