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Government Services Minister Bill Shorten has denied anything to do with one of his speechwriters receiving a $600,000 contract over two years.
A Senate estimates committee learned on Monday that a speechwriter employed through Services Australia was contracted to provide speeches for Mr Shorten, despite the department asserting it already had the resources to assist the minister.
While ministers employ their own communications staff, it is commonplace for them to also borrow from departments — but the large salary for speechwriter Julianne Stewart raised eyebrows among senators.
Questioned about it on Monday night, Mr Shorten said he had nothing to do with the contract.
“First of all, I think that the hiring of a speechwriter was done by Services Australia. I had no idea what the payment was,” Mr Shorten told Channel Nine.
“So, if you’re trying to link me to that, you know, good luck.
“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.”
Mr Shorten dismissed the issue as a “cheap” opposition tactic.
Frontbencher Chris Bowen defended his colleague on ABC Radio on Tuesday morning, saying the department went through a standard recruitment process after identifying the role was necessary.
“Departments and agencies have a range of communications officials who contribute to ministerial speeches. They would be doing much more than that, they wouldn’t just be contributing to ministerial speeches,” Mr Bowen said.
“Governments of all persuasions of course have communications officials who contribute — they don’t work for ministers, to be clear … this is the process the market delivered.”
More than 180 people are employed in Services Australia’s communications team, including at least two speechwriters.
Mr Bowen said the department communicates with millions of people on a daily basis and its communications team was “pretty damn important”.
The opposition senator Simon Birmingham, noting the NDIS minister had been tasked with representing Australia at a peace summit for Ukraine, offered a passing remark to Sky News.
“Bill Shorten will no doubt have a great speech when he gets there, from his $600,000 speechwriter,” Senator Birmingham said.
