Which of Victoria’s MPs has the most life experience outside the political bubble?
Some of Victoria’s most powerful ministers have spent little or no time working outside the political bubble. So do they have the necessary life experience needed to help run the state?
Almost half of Victoria’s most powerful ministers have spent little to no time working outside of the political bubble, prompting concerns they lack the real-world experience needed to understand the issues voters face everyday.
A Herald Sun analysis has found just six of 11 top Allan government ministers have spent considerable time working outside of government, union or Labor-affiliated jobs.
The revelation has ignited concerns among business figures over the lack of small business experience and commercial expertise as state debt climbs towards an expected $194bn by 2028-2029.
Premier Allan, who has spent half of her life – 26 years – as an MP, was among the group identified to have spent very little time outside politics and unions.
While the Premier did spend some time as a check-out-chick in the early days, after graduating from university and missing out on a journalism cadetship at the Bendigo Advertiser, Ms Allan jumped into the offices of local politicians, including for Bendigo MPs Steve Gibbons and Neil O’Keefe.
She then became one herself at age 26.
Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has also spent more than two decades in politics, previously working for the Australian Services Union.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, however, worked as a teacher prior to politics, while Major Events Minister Steve Dimopoulos was the only one with substantial small business experience.
Treasurer Jaclyn Symes also had a number of different jobs, including working as a disability support worker and a security guard before becoming a junior lawyer and industrial officer with the Australian Services Union.
Australian Industry Group head Tim Piper said ministers and shadow ministers should have experience outside politics if they want to relate to everyday Victorians.
“Voters expect their politicians to understand issues they deal with day to day and vote and act accordingly,” he said.
“MPs need a broad set of skills from dealing with bureaucrats to knowing how voters tick. “Being an MP is not just about policy and ideology, it’s also about empathy and appreciation. “And the broader the background experience and skills the more representative they will be.”
Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams defended the experience of the Labor caucus, which she said was “incredibly diverse” and brought a “wealth of experience” to the state’s government.
She said the Labor team included engineers and lawyers, and “a bit of everything in between”, and she paid special mention to the ballroom dancer in the caucus.
“I’m sure Paul Mercurio would be very upset at any suggestion that there wasn’t diversity of talent in our state Labor caucus.”
“You know, we are here to represent our community and we bring enormous talent and experience and expertise to that task.”
The Herald Sun also looked at the pre-politics careers of 11 senior Liberal Party MPs.
Just over half had substantial experience in jobs outside of government and Liberal-affiliated workplaces, with a police officer, nurse, chiropractor, small business owners and a DJ among the mix.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson’s began her work life at a plant nursery and as a waitress before being admitted as a lawyer and working for KPMG as a regulatory policy and excise tax adviser for major companies across Australia, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
Her predecessor, Brad Battin, was a cop and ran a Baker’s Delight.
Ms Wilson is expected to announce a reshuffle of her shadow cabinet over the weekend, with Mr Battin’s future on the frontbench currently up in the air.
Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett said there was a clear lack of business experience within Ms Allan’s cabinet as he expressed hope that Ms Wilson’s past could give the Coalition a leg up if they are successful at next year’s election.
“We may have some lawyers, but we have almost no one within the Victorian cabinet who has business experience, who has employed people, paid payroll tax and had to conduct the business where the jaws ratio applies, that is where income exceeds expenditure,” he said.
“I am hopeful that Jess and her team will be able to apply restraint while also encouraging a new environment where businesses can grow and commercial confidence can be restored.”
A Victorian government spokesman said: “Our Cabinet brings a wealth of experience across sectors to their work delivering what matters for the Victorian people”.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Sally Curtain said it was “imperative” that politicians understand the challenges the business community is facing.
“We can’t expect our leaders to be experts in every field and there is no one ideal career path for our politicians, however, it is imperative that they understand the real-world pressures facing business – as the backbone of our economy and community,” she said.
“The best leaders listen and learn from those at the coalface and that’s what the business community asks of our politicians.”
LABOR
Sonya Kilkenny – lawyer
Attorney-General
Minister for Planning
Before joining parliament, Ms Kilkenny was a lawyer in commercial litigation, intellectual property, and banking and finance. She also worked for the Kimberley Land Council in Broome.
Mary-Anne Thomas – teacher, unionist
Leader of the House
Minister for: Health, Health Infrastructure, Ambulance Services.
Before stepping into politics in 2014, Ms Thomas was a teacher, a unionist, and a public, private and NGO sector executive, as well as a general manager at NAB. She also worked the strategic communications director for the Liberal Baillieu government.
Steve Dimopoulos – small business owner, mayor
Minister for: Environment, Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Outdoor Recreation
Before becoming an MP in 2015, he ran cafe, Cosmic Bear, in Oakleigh.
He was also elected to the City of Monash council before being promoted to Mayor a few years later. He also worked for a Federal MP.
Jaclyn Symes – lawyer, disability worker, security guard
Treasurer, Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council
Minister for: Industrial Relations, Regional Development.
Before becoming an MP in 2014, she worked as a disability support worker for five years, a security guard, and briefly ran a small business.
She worked as junior lawyer and industrial officer with the Australian Services Union before working as the former Labor leader Daniel Andrews, who was opposition leader at the time, as a senior legal and justice adviser.
Harriet Shing – lawyer
Minister for: the Suburban Rail Loop, Housing and Building, Development Victoria and Precincts.
Prior to her 2015 start in politics, Ms Shing was a senior policy adviser, lawyer, and industrial relations specialist in the Victorian private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.
She was also a trustee director on the board of industry superannuation fund Vision Super and an associate at the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.
As a teenager she worked at an ice cream shop and in retail and hospitality.
Anthony Carbines
Minister for: Police, Community Safety, Victims, Racing.
Before becoming an MP in 2011, Mr Carbines was pursuing a job as a reporter, scoring a job at the Geelong Advertiser.
He then became an adviser and chief of staff to Ministers in the Bracks and Brumby state governments and served as a councillor at the City of Banyule.
Gabrielle Williams – project manager, lawyer
Minister for: Transport Infrastructure, Public and Active Transport.
Prior to becoming an MP in 2014, she worked as a project manager in the University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor’s office and as a construction lawyer in a corporate firm.
She also worked for the state and federal government.
Ben Carroll – lawyer, policy adviser
Deputy Premier
Minister for: Education, Medical Research, WorkSafe and the TAC
Before becoming an MP in 2012, he spent years as a policy adviser and lawyer in the public sector.
He also volunteered for community legal aid organisations.
During university, he worked at Kmart and then at a call centre for AAMI.
Jacinta Allan – retail worker
Premier
Besides a stint as a check-out-chick more than 30 years ago, Ms Allan has spent her entire working life in politics, including years as a staffer for Labor MP’s Steve Gibbons and Neil O’Keefe before her election to parliament.
Danny Pearson – consultant, political adviser
Minister for: Economic Growth and Jobs, Finance
Prior to becoming an MP in 2014, Mr Pearson was also enmeshed with the political world, working as a consultant, ministerial adviser and opposition adviser.
Lily D’Ambrosio – campaign organiser
Minister for: Climate Action, Energy and Resources, State Electricity Commission.
Before entering politics, she was a union organiser for the Federated Clerks’ Union, the predecessor to the Australian Services Union.
As a teenager she worked with her mother who was an outworker in the clothing industry and worked in a small goods factory.
LIBERALS
Brad Battin – police officer, business owner
Former opposition leader
Prior to politics, the former opposition leader served as a senior constable with Victoria Police, specialising in local youth issues and liquor licensing.
He also owned a Bakers Delight before becoming an MP in 2010.
Georgie Crozier – nurse, small business
Shadow Minister for Health
After beginning her career as a nurse, she worked in the corporate and small business sectors for a decade and assisted with developing comprehensive management guidelines in acute care and chronic disease before entering parliament in 2010.
David Davis – chiropractor, business owner
Shadow Minister for: Energy and Resources, Arts and Creative Industries.
Prior to politics, he was a chiropractor and ran his own clinic.
He then entered parliament in 1996.
David Southwick – DJ, business owner, university lecturer
Shadow Minister for: Police and Corrections, Crime Prevention.
Prior to entering politics in 2010, Mr Southwick was better known as “DJ Dave”.
He also run two businesses, in cosmetics and events, and was a university lecturer and RMIT’s first Entrepreneur in Residence.
Richard Riordan – managing director in retail
Shadow Minister for: Planning, Housing, Tourism, Sport, Events and Hospitality
Entering parliament in 2015, he was the managing director of a family-run retail and supply company, and was a government appointed board member of Colac Area Health and the Corangamite Catchment Authority.
Evan Mulholland – boundary umpire, consultant
Deputy Opposition Upper House Leader
Shadow Minister for: Education, Multicultural and Multifaith Affairs
Early on, he stacked shelves at Woolies, ran a local theatre company and was a boundary umpire local footy games before becoming a consultant with Salmat for Foxtel and Telstra.
He then became an adviser to federal and state ministers and worked at conservative think-tank, the Institute of Public Affairs.
Prior to being elected in 2022, he was a consultant for tech start-up, Payable.
Jess Wilson – retail assistant, policy and tax adviser
Opposition Leader
Shadow Treasurer
Starting off as a waitress and retail assistant, Ms Wilson was then admitted as an Australian lawyer. She became a regulatory policy and excise tax adviser for major companies across Australia, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America at KPMG, and was an executive director at the Business Council of Australia.
Prior to becoming an MP in 2022, Ms Wilson worked as ministerial adviser to a federal minister Josh Frydenberg.
Brad Rowswell
Shadow Minister for: Small and Family Business, CBD Revitalisation, Government Services and Digital Transformation
Prior to entering Spring St in 2018, he did a brief stint as a Youth Minister at St Bede’s College, his previous school, and was studying to become a Catholic priest.
He then became a policy adviser at Catholic Education Melbourne and company Secretary of the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria.
James Newbury – lawyer
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for: Equality, Anti-Corruption
Before becoming an MP in 2015, he completed law degrees and worked in banking and financial services, holding senior positions at the Australian Retail Credit Association.
He also worked in the highest levels of the Howard government as an adviser.
Early on he worked as a paperboy, in a video store and at a cafe.
Matthew Guy
Shadow Minister for: Major Projects, Transition to Government
Before entering parliament in 2006, he worked at the Australian Securities and Investments Council and the Victorian Farmers Federation.
Early on, he worked for Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett and the Assistant Federal Treasurer Senator Rod Kemp.
Bev McArthur – councillor, stay-at-home mum
Upper House Leader
Shadow Minister for: Local Government, Government Waste
Before entering parliament in 2018, Bev was an elected Councillor of Corangamite Shire and a federal political adviser.
In what she describes as her favourite job, she was also a stay-at-home mother to her three children while her husband served as a federal MP.
Originally published as Which of Victoria’s MPs has the most life experience outside the political bubble?
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