Former Communications Minister, Richard Alston, has defended his decision to take up a position in with Austereo in the industry he used to oversee.
But, the Federal Opposition says it is not appropriate to work for the network, just six months after quitting politics.
Shadow Communications Minister, Lindsay Tanner, says former ministers should not be allowed to work in their previous portfolio areas for at least a year.
“People like former Senator Alston shouldn’t be able to immediately trade on their inside knowledge, their Cabvarchar(15) expertise, in the private sector after they leave politics.
“This is yet another in a long line of ex-Liberal ministers, quickly making use of their ministerial background to line their own pockets.
“Richard Alston did absolutely nothing about digital radio as Minister, so it’s hard to see what value he will deliver to Austereo.”
But, Alston says he is offering Austereo only strategic advice and has not lobbied any of his former parliamentary colleagues on its behalf.
He has the support of Liberal MPs, like David Jull: “Once you’re out of here, you’re out of here, I guess. Somebody once said there’s nothing more ex than an ex-politician.”
Austereo has defended the appointment, saying it has hired the former minister to advise on issues like digital conversion and cross media ownership laws.
The Prime Minister has also defended Alston, rejecting Labor’s plan for a 12 month ban: “I’m certainly not casting any aspersions on Richard Alston, who I thought was an outstanding Communications Minister and a person of enormous integrity.”
There has also been strong support from other senior Liberals, including Defence Minister, Robert Hill: “Richard Alston is a person of the highest personal standards.”
Alston resigned from the Ministry 10 months ago after holding Communications from 1996. He was Australia’s longest serving minister in this portfolio.
Austereo Chairman, Peter Harvie, says Alston was hired early this year: “Richard is helping us on a number of issues. Richard is not just giving us advice on digital (radio), but it just makes a great deal of sense because of his understanding of the portfolio and he’s a great man.”
Speaking on ABC Radio’s ‘AM’ program, Communications Minister, Helen Coonan, has denied Alston has a conflict of interest and rejects the idea that he should have waited 12 months before taking on any private consultancies in his ministerial portfolio area.
“Former ministers should be able to have a life after politics.”
Austereo, other networks and Commercial Radio Australia have been pushing for the Government to outline a policy for the transition of radio to digital technology.
CRA has even threatened to take on the Government during the election campaign because of concerns over digital transition delays.
Harvie says Alston is doing general work for Austereo and helping in “keeping our focus on what’s going on on all fronts – there is no secret to that”.