What does a politician do after he or she has made it into the Ministry? Well, it ranges from Wal Murray running a fish shop in Moree to Nick Greiner having more directorships than any other Australian.
The Crikey Team have so far assembled six lists of journalists and this is our first attempt at a political list. We know it is far from complete and hope you send in corrections, particularly if you can help with Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. In fact, anyone who can come up with 10 additions or corrections to our lists published so far (six on journalists, this one on politics and the foreign ownership lists in business) will get a free subscription to Crikey, including a free tee-shirt and access to our weekly sealed section. We have many more lists planned for the months ahead, including our own version of the BRW Rich List.
The former ministers list is instructive because it shows just how many of them rely on politics or their connections made through politics to make a living, or in some cases, an absolute fortune.
Politicians who complain about their pay should just look at how wealthy people like Nick Greiner, Paul Keating, Bob Hawke, Graham Richardson and Neville Wran have become.
It does seem ridiculous that Keating and Hawke have become multi-millionaires yet still draw a taxpayer funded pension and are provided with staff, offices and free travel by the taxpayer. If these blokes weren’t so focused on their backpockets, they would surrender their pensions or at the very least donate them to charity. Labor does produce some champions of the working class.
The 39 Politicians On Public Super And Private Salaries
Lynne Arnold (SA Labor Premier) Chief executive of World Vision Australia
Doug Anthony (Fed National Party leader) director of Normandy Mining
Dale Baker (SA Liberal, Primary Industries Minister) Agribusiness investor, winery owner.
John Bannon (SA Labor Premier) Family lawyer in Sydney
Alan Brown (Vic Liberal Transport Minister) big investor in Wonthaggi.
Brian Burke (WA Labor Premier) Out of jail, private businessman and consultant
John Button (Fed Labor Industry Minister) Director of Vision Systems.
Robert Fordham (Vic Labor Deputy Premier) Head of Gippsland business association.
Robin Gray (Tasmanian Liberal Premier) Agribuisiness investor with Dale Baker.
Wayne Goss (Queensland Labor Premier) Managing partner Deloittes in Brisbane, consultant.
Nick Greiner (NSW Liberal Premier) Multi-millionaire professional director on more boards than any other Australian.
Phil Gude (NSW Liberal Minister) Partner in PR firm, professional director.
Gerry Hand (Federal Labor Immigration Minister) Consultant, casino investor (Christmas Island)
Bob Hawke (Labor PM) multi-millionaire property developer, gaming venue beneficiary, investor, consultant on Asia
Don Haywood (Vic Liberal Education Minister) Director of Abigroup, Melbourne Airport, Melbourne Zoo.
Rex Jackson (NSW Labor Prisons Minister hot dog stall proprietor in Heathcote
Rob Jolly (Vic ALP Treasurer) environmental consultant, appointed by Bracks to government advisory body.
Paul Keating (Federal Labor PM) Multi-millionaire investor and consultant specialising on Asia.
Ros Kelly (Fed Labor Environment Minister) environmental consultant working for Dames & Moore.
Jim Kennan (Vic Labor Attorney General) Self-appointed QC, consultant specialising on India.
Jeff Kennett (Vic Liberal Premier) part-time reporter, share trader, tourism consultant, head of National Depression Institute.
Rob Knowles (Vic Liberal Health Minister) consultant to Macquarie Bank.
Wendy Machin (NSW Consumer Affairs Minister) corporate affairs for SCI, world’s biggest funeral parlour company.
Wal Murray (NSW Nat Leader, Deputy Premier) Moree fish shop proprietor
Peter Nixon (Fed National Primary Industries) chairman Southern Cross Broadcasting, owner of 3AW and Channel Nine Adelaide.
Andrew Peacock (Federal Liberal Foreign Affairs) Melbourne-based investor and consultant
Neil Pope (Vic Labor IR Minister) IR consultant, paid mediator of recent power dispute.
Graham Richardson (Federal Labor, Communications and Health Minister) 2GB breakfast host, Kerry Packer’s political fixer, SOCOG director.
Tom Roper (Vic Labor Treasurer) Worked in Canada and London, tutoring new Bracks ministers on how to be ministers.
Sussan Ryan (Fed Labor Education Minister) Head of superannuation association
Mal Sandon (Vic Labor Police Minister) Honorary adviser to Vic Transport Minister.
Warwick Smith (Fed Liberal Sports Minister) senior executive with Macquarie Bank
Alan Stockdale (Vic Liberal Treasurer) chairman asset and infrastructure at Macquarie Bank, company director.
Barry Unsworth (NSW Labor Premier) Director of NSW WorkCover, chairman Sydney radio station
Evan Walker (Vic Labor Planning Minister) visiting professor at Melbourne Uni, consultant to Bracks government.
Robert Webster (NSW Nat, Planning Minister) executive director of International Banking Association.
Gary West (NSW National, Energy Minister) corporate and government affairs chief at Unilever.
David White (Vic Labor Industry Minister) ALP policy co-ordinator, private consultant
Neville Wran (NSW Labor Premier) Multi-millionaire consultant, merchant banker, professional director.
Please send any additions or corrections to boss@crikey.com.au
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