The year is 1973. The Sydney Opera House has just been unveiled. The federal voting age has been dropped from 21 to 18. Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye and Wings are dominating the charts. The Exorcist is breaking box office records, men are blowdrying their hair and platform shoes seem like a really good idea. Patrick White has won the Nobel Prize for Literature, Whitlam has abolished university fees and a young Philip Ruddock has just been elected to Parliament.
Yes, 64-year-old Philip Ruddock has been inhaling the rarified air of Canberra for more than 34 years, one more year than our very experienced Prime Minister. He told ABC television on Sunday that he will see out a full three years if voters in the Sydney seat of Berowra return him as their local member.
The government accuses the Labor party of inexperience. But just how desirable is a front bench of professional politicians whose last brush with the real world was back when Gough Whitlam was in office?
There’s something to be said for spending some time in the real world, beyond the bureaucracy of
Crikey compiled a political experience score board to see how the numbers on either side of the front bench stack up.
Cabinet clocked in with 391 years’ political experience, while the Shadow Cabinet has 329 runs on the board. That’s a discrepancy of 62 years, almost the lifetime of one Philip Ruddock…
Cabinet:
Prime Minister John Howard. Years of experience: 33
Treasurer Peter Costello. Years of experience: 17
Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer. Years of experience: 23
Minister for Finance and Administration Senator Nick Minchin. Years of experience: 14.
Minister for Trade Warren Truss. Years of experience: 17
Minister for Health and Ageing Tony Abbott. Years of experience: 13.
Minister for Ageing Christopher Pyne. Years of experience: 14
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock. Years of experience: 34.
Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Helen Coonan. Years of experience: 11.
Minister for Defence Brendan Nelson. Years of experience: 11
Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources Ian Macfarlane. Years of experience: 9
Minister for Small Business and Tourism Fran Bailey. Years of experience: 14
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Kevin Andrews. Years of experience: 16
Minister for Agriculture, Farming and Forestry Peter McGauran. Years of experience: 24
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services Mark Vaile. Years of experience: 14.
Minister for Families, Community and Indigenous Affairs Mal Brough. Years of experience: 11
Minister for Education, Science and Training Julie Bishop. Years of experience: 9
Minster for Employment and Workplace Relations Joe Hockey. Years of experience: 11
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Malcolm Turnbull. Years of Experience: 3.
Minister for Human Services Chris Ellison. Years of experience: 11
Ministries for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation Eric Abetz. Years of experience: 10
Minister for Local government, Territories and Roads Jim Lloyd. Years of experience: 11
Minster for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer Peter Dutton. Years of experience: 6.
Minister for Workforce Participation Sharman Stone. Years of experience: 11.
Minister for Veterans Affairs Bruce Billson. Years of experience: 11.
Special Minister of State Gary Nairn. Years of experience: 11
Minister for Vocational and Further Education Andrew Robb. Years of experience: 3
Minister for the Arts and Sport George Brandis.Years of experience: 7.
Minister for Community Services Nigel Scullion. Years of experience: 6
Minister for Justice and Customs David Johnston. Years of experience: 6
Total years of experience in cabinet: 391 years
Shadow Cabinet:
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, first elected as the Federal Member for Griffith in 1998. Years of experience: 9
Deputy Leader, Employment & Industrial Relations, Social Inclusion, Julia Gillard. Years of experience: 6
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure & Water Anthony Albanese. Years of experience: 11.
Shadow Minister for Justice and Customs Arch Bevis. Years of experience: 17
Assistant Treasurer, Revenue & Competition Policy Chris Bowen. Years of experience: 6
Shadow Minister for Immigration, Integration & Citizenship Tony Burke. Years of experience: 3
Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation, Science & Research Kim Carr. Years of experience: 14
Shadow Minister for Communications & Information Technology Stephen Conroy. Years of experience: 11
Shadow Minister for Trade & Regional Development Simon Crean. Years of experience: 17
Shadow Minister for Service Economy, Small Business & Independent Contractors
Craig Emerson. Years of experience: 9
Shadow Minister for National Development, Resources & Energy Chris Evans. Years of experience: 14
Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Urban Development & Consumer Affairs Laurie Ferguson. Years of experience: 17
Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads & Tourism Martin Ferguson. Years of experience: 11.
Shadow Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon. Years of experience: 11.
Shadow Minister for Environment Peter Garrett. Years of experience: 3.
Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs Alan Griffin. Years of experience: 11.
Shadow Attorney-General Joe Ludwig. Years of experience: 9.
Shadow Minister for Local Government Kate Lundy. Years of experience: 11.
Shadow Minister for Families and COmmunity Services Jenny Macklin. Years of experience: 11.
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Robert Mcllelland. Years of experience: 11
Shadow Minister for Ageing Jan Mclucas. Years of experience: 8.
Federal/State relations Bob McMullan. Years of experience: 19
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Kerry O’Brien. Years of experience: 8.
Shadow Minister for Human Services Tanya Plibersek. Years of experience: 9
Shadow Minister for Health Nicola Roxon. Years of experience: 9.
Shadow Minister for Superannuation Nick Sherry. Years of experience: 17.
Shadow Minister for Education and Training Stephen Smith. Years of experience: 14.
Shadow Treasurer Wayne Swan. Years of experience: 14.
Shadow Minister for Finance Lindsay Tanner. Years of experience: 14.
Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Accountability Penny Wong. Years of experience: 5.
Total number of years of experience: 329 years.
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