Staff deserting Kevin Rudd in droves
by Steve Lewis and Alison Rehn
News.com.au
Sat Oct 17 00:00:00 EST 2009
MORE than half of Kevin Rudd's staff have fled the PM's office since the election, taking with them at least 120 years of political experience.
The PM - dubbed Kevin 24/7 for his round-the-clock work ethic - has emerged as one of the country's most demanding employers, with insiders describing him as "manic". And with an election less than a year away, the PM has also lost most of his senior policy advisers, leaving an office insiders say is almost unrecognisable.
An investigation by The Daily Telegraph reveals that 23 of 39 staff have left Mr Rudd's office and there are whispers of more to follow.
Four senior staff - including Jack Lake, a 25-year parliamentary veteran - have announced their departures in recent weeks alone. One former staffer of the PM described Mr Rudd, who recently tore into Labor's factional chiefs with an expletive-laden rant, as "demanding and a bit all over the place". Another was more blunt: "He gives little in the way of constructive feedback and doesn't listen to anybody."
Seasoned political advisers say that John Howard, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke enjoyed strong staff loyalty and little turnover. Public sector recruitment specialist Kathy Kostyrko warned that Mr Rudd's office- management appeared a problem.
The Hayes Specialist Recruitment director said it was a "very high turnover" and "work environment and recruitment (methods)" needed to be looked at - views echoed by senior Labor figures. While the PM makes no apology for his unrelenting pace, they fear the staff changes will leave the Government vulnerable heading into an election year.
Senior staff who have left - including policy director Pradeep Philip, education adviser Michael Lye and health adviser Rod Glover - are being replaced by advisers with little experience in the political hurly burly.
But it's not just Mr Rudd's office recording an exodus of staff.
At least 13 staff have left Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard's employ, at least 10 have left Climate Change Minister Penny Wong's office and seven have left the offices of both Treasurer Wayne Swan and Sports Minister Kate Ellis.
However, a spokesman for Mr Rudd said: "Political staff work is both rewarding and demanding and working in the Prime Minister's Office is no exception."
But it's not just the Government that is having trouble holding on to valuable staff. Since February, 11 media advisers working for the 32 Federal Opposition frontbenchers have quit their high-pressure jobs.
And during the same period, a total of 13 media advisers who were working for the Government's 30 frontbenchers have also moved on.
“Kevin 07” was the prototype of the Hussein Obama UN, MSM creation/answer to Australia’s / America’s problems.
A media generated no body.
Australia’s “Dear Leader” is the creation of the socialist aligned MSM media, it is funny to say the least, reading how his supporters and apologists are now on the “shitty end of the stick” of their media generated and facilitated creation.
The King of the pre Hussein Obama, UN, bumper sticker ideology, is not such a nice guy after all? you mean you useful idiots did not get a free home and a car after all? gee fancy that, who da thought?
