James Massola
JULIA Gillard has replaced nearly half her staff since she took power just over six months ago, including a number of senior policy advisers.
Since coming to power, the Prime Minister’s office has lost advisers including speechwriter Tim Dixon, telecommunications, infrastructure and industry adviser John O’Mahony and Ankit Kumar in health.
Mr Kumar’s exit late last year followed that of Pradeep Philip — Kevin Rudd’s former policy director — while Mr Rudd was PM. Together the pair had been central to the development of Mr Rudd’s ambitious plans to reform Australia’s health system.
Mr O’Mahony’s exit has also been felt as Labor has pushed on with its plans to construct the National Broadband Network.
The number of people working in the current Prime Minister’s office is also higher than under Mr Rudd, rivalling the more than 50 people who worked for Liberal prime minister John Howard.
Twenty staff have moved on since Mr Rudd lost the leadership in June last year, while 18 had been hired by December.
Mr Rudd had 46 staff working for him across prime ministerial and electorate offices in mid-2009. By comparison, Ms Gillard began her prime ministership with 59 staff in her personal office, though that has since fallen to 57.
Mr Dixon left Ms Gillard’s office after the election and was replaced in the key role of speechwriter by Michael Cooney, previously a senior adviser to former leaders Mark Latham and Kim Beazley.
Mr Cooney also serves as Ms Gillard’s religious affairs adviser.
Amanda Lampe and Tom Bentley now occupy the chief of staff and deputy chief of staff roles, having taken over from Alister Jordan and David Fredericks.
Other staffs to have left the PM’s office include Sarah Adams, who had worked as immigration and border protection adviser to Mr Rudd, and Corri McKenzie, a marginal seats expert.
Just six staff remain from Mr Rudd’s tenure while climate adviser Claire Penrose has returned after leaving while Mr Rudd was still in power.
Source: www.theaustralian .com.au
