Conroy suggested 'Labor mate' Kaiser to NBN Company

James Riley
Tuesday, 09 February 2010 10:30

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has conceded he suggested to the NBN Company that it look at possibly hiring Queensland Premier Anna Bligh's former chief of staff Mike Kaiser - the man now at the centre of a $450,000-a-year 'Labor Mates' row.

Kaiser was ultimately hired by NBN Co executive chairman Mike Quigley to run the $43 billion start-up's government relations and external affairs operation. He was the only candidate for the job, which was not advertised, Quigley told a Senate Estimates hearing yesterday.

As an early employees hired by the company - directly by the executive chairman - there was no formal process of advertising the vacancy and vetting of multiple candidates, although Quigley maintains the circumstances were not unusual for a start up company, and everything was above board.

At $450,000 a year, the job with NBN Co doubled the salary Kaiser enjoyed as Anna Bligh's right hand man. As the row over Kaiser's appointment erupted last November, the Opposition successfully forced Senator Conroy to table details of Kaiser's and salary and employment in the Senate.

The size of the remuneration package, and the fact that Kaiser's past has been deeply involved in Labor politics, had the Opposition leader in the Senate Nick Minchin calling the NBN Co a "vehicle to reward Labor Mates at the expense of taxpayers."

Opposition Communications spokesman Tony Smith said it was "absolutely staggering" that such a senior and well paid role within the NBN Co appeared to have been employed at the suggestion of the Minister.