The Deputy CEO of the Department of Social Services confirmed in Senate Estimates that Bill Shorten’s department awarded a contract worth over $620,000 to his speechwriter, Julianne Stewart, for two years of work.
Ms Stewart is contracted in addition to the suite of ministerial advisers that are employed in Bill Shorten’s private office.
According to the Department’s own website, Minister Shorten has given 28 speeches since assuming office in 2022. If Ms Stewart wrote every single one of these speeches it would equate to over $22,000 per speech.
Among the speeches listed on the website are speeches given by the Minister at breakfast and morning tea events.
“Spending more than $600,000 to contract a boutique speechwriter is ridiculous and an extraordinary waste of taxpayers’ money,” Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Waste Reduction, James Stevens MP, said.
“The Minister is already provided with significant resources in his staff budget, as well as a substantially resourced department, to discharge his role as a Minister, including speechwriting.
“It seems his office and department aren’t good enough for Bill Shorten, so Ms Stewart is the lucky recipient of $620,000 to service Bill Shorten’s vital speechwriting needs.
“Australians struggling to pay their ever-increasing mortgages, rents, electricity bills and groceries would be appalled at their government spending their taxpayer money in this way.”
