Appointments to the AAT from the Brandis, Porter and Cash eras … 79 party connections identified … Deputy President again shows her political allegiance … Plenty of pork … Another senior member departing … Tabulation
Hers is the repeat offence of Frydenberg fandom, this time election signage outside her Kew pad. She said her husband “authorised” the poster, so that’s all right.
At the time of the 2019 election she and full-time member Rachel Westaway (former Liberal candidate for the NSW Legislative Council) were pictured hugging a Josh Frydenberg corflute and posting the image on facebook.
Apparently, counselling is required for this $500,000 a year appointee.
In her maiden speech as a senator Synon oozed enthusiastically about the Dollar Sweets boys, Michael Kroger and Peter Costello:
“Michael Kroger’s term as President of the Victorian Division of the Liberal Party is legendary, and his enthusiasm and optimism transformed the party. Of course, back in the 1970s, Michael teamed with Peter Costello, who is clearly the most outstanding political figure of his generation in the parliament – and I am delighted that the Treasurer is here today.”
In other developments, news has spread that full-time senior member Perry Wood is leaving the tribunal on July 1, yet his appointment doesn’t officially expire until June 30, 2024.
Division head and deputy president Peter Britten-Jones has given Perry a deadline to confirm he is leaving. Here’s hoping he’s landed something juicy.
Incoming attorney general Mark Dreyfus is not going to “start again” with the tribunal. Instead, the only way to deflower the AAT is over time, with a merits based and transparent appointment process and steps taken to improve its performance.
Like her predecessor, Madam Cash waited until parliament rose to do yet another stack of the AAT with Liberal pals – just before the election.
Deputy President
Hon. Michael Mischin, WA Liberal MLC Defeated 13 March 2021. Member List (parliament.wa.gov.au)
Senior Members
Ann Duffield – Former Scott Morrison and Philip Ruddock chief of staff
Pru Goward – Liberal MLA NSW 2007 to 2019
Members
Cheryl Cartwright – Truss CoS, Media advisor to Lib leader Downer.
Kate Chapple – senior adviser to Reynolds and Payne.
Peter Katsambanis – Former WA Liberal MLC, former Lib MLA for Hillarys, defeated in 2021.
Prior to Madam Cash’s list there have been at least 79 former Liberal Party politicians, staffers, failed Liberal Party candidates and Liberal Party donors and members appointed to the AAT by George Brandis and Christian Porter over more than eight years.
The nature of the LNP links is set out in the table below.
These are highly paid jobs. For full-time members:
- a full-time Deputy President is paid $496,560 per year
- a full-time Senior Member (Lvl 1) is paid $391,940 per year
- a full-time Senior Member (Lvl 2) is paid $329,930 per year
- a full-time Member (Lvl 1) is paid $249,420 per year
- a full-time Member (Lvl 2) is paid $221,700 per year
- a full-time Member (Lvl 3) is paid $193,990 per year
Part-time members, who can work whenever they feel like it (and don’t have to work when they don’t feel like it), are paid between $813 and $1,950 per day (excluding superannuation).
See the Remuneration Tribunal Determination here.
They are also very secure jobs. Members may be appointed for up to seven years and are also eligible for reappointment. Once appointed, Members can only be terminated by:
- the Parliament – in response to an address to the Governor-General – for proved misbehaviour or incapacity (section 13(1) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act);
- the Governor-General – for one of a number of prescribed reasons, including extended absences and bankruptcy (section 13(2) of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act).
On 25 February 2019, in the lead up to the last federal election, Christian Porter announced the appointment of 19 former Liberal Party advisers and politicians and failed Liberal Party candidates to jobs on the taxpayer-funded Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
He’s a recent chart of the favoured 79. Some positions within the AAT may have changed recently, but the party connections are unaltered.