Former WA Premier Mark McGowan enters private consultancy sector with four new jobs

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Former Premier Mark McGowan has taken on four new private sector consultancy jobs, just months after his shock exit from politics due to tiredness and exhaustion. His swift move into the key advisory positions, including roles within the resources sector, has reignited calls for a cooling off period for Ministers wanting to re-enter the workforce as lobbyists and consultants.

Transcript

00:00 It's been a little over four months since Mark McGowan's departure.

00:06 The truth is I'm tired, extremely tired. In fact I'm exhausted.

00:11 But after a break, the in-demand former Premier will return to work in the private sector.

00:17 He's set to start a consulting role with iron ore major BHP and he'll also be a part-time

00:23 strategic advisor to mid-tier miner Mineral Resources, owned by billionaire Chris Ellison,

00:29 former Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has also recruited him to provide investment and strategic

00:34 advice for his prestigious consultancy firm Bondi Partners.

00:39 The fourth gig, he'll advise APM, Human Services International, which provides services under

00:45 the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

00:48 The perceptions of all of this are awful. Now I'm not saying Mr McGowan did anything

00:52 wrong, but as Premier of Western Australia you cannot help but be in constant dealing

00:56 with the mining industry.

00:57 There is a perception problem when politicians, political leaders leave politics and jump

01:02 into high paying board positions or retainers and what not virtually straight away.

01:08 Integrity experts have long questioned the revolving door between politics and the business

01:12 world, particularly when former Premiers and Ministers move into advisory roles, which

01:17 isn't regulated by legislation like lobbying is.

01:21 The appropriateness of the Premier's pension of a quarter of a million dollars a year is

01:26 also being questioned in light of the new jobs.

01:29 That pension is designed somehow to compensate him for the loss of opportunities. Things

01:34 foregone by his period in politics. What a joke.

01:38 Mr McGowan hasn't responded to the ABC's requests for a comment.

01:42 Our new WA jobs plan.

01:44 No shortage of offers for the former Premier, who made a virtue of jobs creation.

01:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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