Julie Bishop says no thanks to governor’s role, eyes speaking circuit

Julie Bishop rejects state governor’s role for speaking circuit, charging up to $50k per event.

Julie Bishop has turned down an offer to be South Australia’s next governor. Picture: AAP/Jeremy Piper

Julie Bishop has turned down an offer to become South Australia’s next governor but the former Liberal­ deputy leader has joined the lucrative speaking circuit — charging up to $50,000 per event — and is being courted by major Australian companies for board roles.

The Australian can reveal that Adelaide-born Ms Bishop had been in talks with SA Premier Steven­ Marshall about the potential for her to replace Governor Hieu Van Le later this year in the $315,000-a-year role.

Sources close to Ms Bishop say she declined Mr Marshall’s inform­al offer after a series of “tangible” conversations. When asked last night if she had been approach­ed about the governor’s job, Ms Bishop said: “I have had numerous (job) offers, but as I have said for months I am not seeking a government job.”

She also denied having any intere­st in overseas diplomatic posts after Bill Shorten said during the election campaign that a Labor government would consider the former foreign minister to replace US ambassador Joe Hockey in Washington.

A spokeswoman for Mr Marshall­, who is close to Ms Bishop­, declined to comment.

Ms Bishop signed last week with Sydney firm Claxton Speakers International to manage the growing number of requests from organisations that want her to speak at events and conferences.

It is understood that Ms Bishop will be able to charge tens of thousands of dollars for a single speech. While she could be paid up to $50,000 per engagement in Aust­ralia, this could increase markedly for overseas events.

Ms Bishop said she planned to speak about topics including foreign policy, her personal journey, leadership, global challenges and the fourth industrial revolution. Claxton Speakers International managing director Deb Claxton said the firm was thrilled to have signed a woman of Ms Bishop’s calibre and she believed demand for her on the speaking circuit would be high.

Ms Bishop said she would contin­ue to be involved in unpaid roles for philanthropic causes, includ­ing an event in Sydney today that will raise millions of dollars for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.

Sources close to Ms Bishop say she is also planning to join the board of at least one ASX-listed company. There is speculation that companies including Seven West Media, ANZ and Qantas have been courting her as a non-executive director.

One source said Ms Bishop’s global connections, acquired durin­g her five years as foreign minister, would be invaluable to many Australian companies. Overseas companies could also be interested in securing her services.

Ms Bishop declined to comment on possible board appointments.

She retired from politics at the election after more than 20 years as the MP for Curtin, in Perth’s western suburbs.

She was Australia’s first female foreign minister until she resigned in August last year after the leadership­ spill that brought Scott Morrison to power.

Ms Bishop was angry with her Liberal colleagues after she receive­d only a handful of votes in the ballot.

She kept a low profile during the election campaign but wrote a letter of endorsement for her replace­ment in Curtin, Celia Hammond, and reportedly helped some moderate Liberal MPs with their campaigns.

She said yesterday she was “very happy” the Coalition had been returned. She added that she planned to remain in Perth during her post-politics life.