Canberra Times - Coalition blasts 'bizarre' $620k contract

BILL Shorten has denied any responsibility for a $620,000 contract awarded to a speechwriter by one of his agencies, as the Coalition rips into the arrangement as wasteful and "ridiculous". 

Services Australia officials were grilled about the two-year contract with Julianne Stewart during Senate estimates on Monday. Ms Stewart has been paid $477,516 to date to provide speechwriting services to Mr Shorten, and train others in the agency. 

While deputy CEO Susie Smith first told senators that a question on the purpose of the contract should be directed to Mr Shorten, she updated her evidence later on Monday afternoon. 

Ms Smith said Services Australia was responsible for the contract, adding that there had been a surge in demand for speechwriting services post-COVID, and "a gap" to fill after one of the agency's speechwriters retired. 

She said Ms Stewart was contracted after an external recruitment drive in July 2022 failed to find any suitable candidates. 

Questioned about the issue on A Current Affair on Monday evening, Mr Shorten said he had "no idea what the payment was". 

"So, if you're trying to link me to that, you know, good luck," he said. 

"The point about it is, the person involved who's a speechwriter does a very good job. I'm not responsible for negotiating a contract." 

The revelations have prompted outrage from members of the Coalition, including spokesperson for government services Paul Fletcher. 

"How a speechwriter can earn more than an MP or senator is bizarre and makes no sense," Mr Fletcher said in a statement issued on Monday. 

"Bill Shorten is treating the public like fools. "Labor needs to get its act together and prioritise struggling families over its personal public relations." 

The opposition's spokesperson on government waste, James Stevens, has also lashed the contract. 

"Spending more than $600,000 to contract a boutique speechwriter is ridiculous and an extraordinary waste of taxpayers' money," Mr Stevens said.

"The minister is already provided with significant resources in his staff budget, as well as a substantially resourced department, to discharge his role as a Minister, including speechwriting." 

Services Australia employs 189 full-time equivalent staff in their communications unit, while Mr Shorten's office has 13 staff, across a range of positions. 

"Australians struggling to pay their ever-increasing mortgages, rents, electricity bills and groceries would be appalled at their government spending their taxpayer money in this way," Mr Stevens said

Author: Miriam Webber

This article appeared in the Canberra Times on 5 June 2024