Anna Bligh gives Beattie plush LA gig ...
After saying that in no circumstances would he accept a government job, it's taken former Premier Beattie about 5 minutes to yet again perform a backflip and take up Anna's offer of Qld's Trade Commissioner posting in LA.
See - Former Premier Peter Beattie is US Trade Commissioner.
Obviously couldn't live without the government salary.
The trade-off for resigning before the Federal election after the tap on the back from K Rudd ...
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 11:34 AM
6 Comments:
News.com.au:
18 March 2008
FORMER Queensland premier Peter Beattie has been appointed to a $200,000 a year state government trade role based in the United States.
Premier Anna Bligh said Mr Beattie would start in the role as trade commissioner to the Americas in June.
"I understand that some people might have some questions about the appointment of Peter Beattie to this position," Ms Bligh said.
12:44 PM, March 18, 2008
Before Mr Beattie left Queensland politics, he committed his BIGGEST act of political bastardry ever, by ENFORCING amalgamation on financially stable (generally speaking) shires and possibly to encourage or ensure a labour stronghold on the state. Then he left, how sad? His well trained monkey, oops sorry, replacement is no different in her thoughtless, arrogant, mindless manner concerning her state and her voters. Now,after the elections, we have a complete stuff up with various shires who are experiencing a knee jerk reaction to that forced amalgamation and guess what, Mr Beattie has a accepted a very comfortable posting overseas when he said he wouldn't. Please give me one good reason why these people or that particular party should be voted for, come next elections?
7:49 PM, March 18, 2008
Lots of questions but we will never really get the answers - another Labor mate in clover off the idiot tax payers purse
9:10 PM, March 18, 2008
Cannot think of one - but all old Anna will do is kick a football at a Broncos match and she will shoe it in - the clever or smart people of Brisbane are clueless
11:12 AM, March 19, 2008
Courier Mail:
Peter Beattie defends new LA job
March 19, 2008
FORMER Queensland premier Peter Beattie says he knocked back a job worth three times the amount he will be paid as the state's LA-based trade chief.
The 55-year-old's package will be worth more than $300,000 a year, which includes an annual tax-free pay packet of $171,000, a living allowance of $35,585 and a luxury Volvo S60.
Mr Beattie will also continue to pocket his parliamentary superannuation of around $160,000 a year.
Premier Anna Bligh offered her predecessor the plum posting over lunch on February 6 and he accepted at the weekend.
Mr Beattie had previously ruled out taking such a position, saying last December: "I will not be accepting any government positions at a state or federal level."
He today defended his backdown from that vow, saying Ms Bligh had to talk him into accepting the coveted trade commissioner's job.
...
1:10 PM, March 19, 2008
The Australian:
Beattie backflips into US trade post
March 19, 2008
FORMER Queensland premier Peter Beattie has performed his most spectacular backflip by accepting a $200,000-a-year job representing the state Government in the US only months after he declared he would not take any government position.
Mr Beattie's successor as Premier, Anna Bligh, announced his appointment yesterday as Queensland's Trade Commissioner to North and South America, starting on June 1 and based in Los Angeles.
At the time of his resignation in September, there were rumours Mr Beattie would be appointed the Queensland government representative in London, but in December he told a Queensland newspaper he had turned down the position.
"I will not be accepting any government positions at a state or federal level. This is to avoid any unfavourable perceptions of deals or otherwise," Mr Beattie reportedly told The Sunday Mail.
Ms Bligh also yesterday announced the appointment of former transport minister Steve Bredhauer - a close personal friend and factional ally - to be Queensland's special representative to China and Vietnam.
As a public servant, Mr Beattie will be part of Trade Queensland, whose recently appointed general manager is Rob Whiddon, who was Mr Beattie's chief of staff for the 11 years he was premier.
Mr Beattie had previously, as part of a complex factional deal, appointed one of his former ministers, Bob Gibbs, to the position he will now hold in Los Angeles.
Ms Bligh, who said she offered the position to Mr Beattie last month, denied there was a "deal" done and claimed she "had to talk him into it".
"The former premier Peter Beattie did indicate publicly not long after he retired from this position that he was not looking to take on any government jobs," she said.
"In a lunch prior to he and (his wife) Heather going to the United States, I put the proposition to him then and he indicated that while he was interested, he would like to think about it and would like to talk with Heather about it and consider it while they were in the United States.
"He came back to me on the weekend confirming that he would take up the position. He's thought about it a lot."
Ms Bligh acknowledged the appointment of the former premier would be criticised. "No doubt people will raise their eyebrows," she told reporters.
But she said there was nobody "better equipped to sell Queensland to the rest of the world" than Peter Beattie, who could "sell ice to Eskimos".
Ms Bligh said Mr Beattie had been offered lucrative positions on the boards of major private-sector companies, but had turned them down in light of integrity commission advice sought by Ms Bligh.
Mr Beattie is currently a visiting professor at the University of South Carolina on the east coast of the US, and the announcement of his appointment was made in Queensland at about midnight South Carolina time.
In an email to The Australian he referred all media inquiries to Ms Bligh's office because he was "a public servant", but in a statement, he said he was "pleased" to accept the Premier's invitation to "once again serve the people of Queensland".
"She has convinced me to take up this challenge to capitalise on the opportunities for Queensland in the North and South American markets and I look forward to turning those opportunities into business for Queensland."
He was paid $258,980 a year as premier. In this position he will be paid $171,091 tax-free and be given $35,585 each year as an overseas living allowance. Free accommodation, a car and a credit card for "official business only" are also included. The government office in Los Angeles has recently been moved into the downtown precinct. When Mr Gibbs held the position he lived at prestigious Marina Del Rey, a beachside area that is home to several show business personalities.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, referring to Mr Beattie's past as a self-confessed "media tart", said that "I can't think of any better place in the world where Peter Beattie should be based than Hollywood".
2:12 PM, March 19, 2008
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