Writing on why Why Labor has hit the rocks, John Button notes the takeover of the parliamentary party by political careerists and carpetbaggers.

“After Kim Beazley’s vigorous campaign in the 1998 election, Labor returned to parliament with a party of 96 members of vastly changed occupational backgrounds. Although one medical practitioner, one public servant and one engineer remained, no farmers or tradesmen did. There were two academics, two teachers and nine lawyers, but the social complexion had changed.

What had replaced a broad spectrum of backgrounds was a new class of political operator who had been filtered through the net of ALP machine politics. Out of the 96 members, 53 came from jobs in party or union offices. These members described themselves variously as “administrators”, “officials” and “electoral officers”. There were also 10 former members of state parliaments and nine described as political consultants, advisers and lobbyists.”

I suspect the situation is only marginal better in the Liberal Party. Worse still, for most of these careerists, public office is not the final object, but a stepping stone to bigger and more lucrative things. After 10 years or so in Parliament, it’s time to cash in on the contacts, favors and obligations you’ve built up with a job in lobbying or a cushy board set. Recent examples include Wooldridge, Fahey and Reith.