Good news inside Sydney’s Blueprint Institute which has welcomed public policy expert David Cross as its new chief executive.
Cross arrives at the Liberal-aligned think tank from the office of Education Minister Sarah Mitchell where he served as chief of staff. Cross’s appointment bookends six months of change inside the new-ish research house which has links to the Liberal’s moderate faction and a particular focus on “blue-green” issues including climate change and energy policy, education and tax reform.
As this column revealed last year, Blueprint’s chief economist Steve Hamilton, research boss Daniel d’Hotman and three members of a five-member research panel quit in mid-2021 over a disagreement regarding a proposal to use about $350,000 of donated funds to poll marginal and regional electorates on attitudes to climate change. Hamilton’s team allegedly baulked at the proposal because it considered the poll to be political work.
An independent review conducted in the wake of Hamilton’s exit concluded the institute would accept his resignation. But it’s now clear the affair was a fork in the road for the institute and its board – which includes former Macquarie chair Kevin McCann – isn’t looking back. Blueprint’s website now includes a copy of the climate change poll in question “Voices from the Regions” which was conducted by YouGov – a surprisingly compelling read.
And in an election year, presumably there’s plenty more to come.
For his part, Cross can’t wait. “Blueprint exists to produce evidence-based, peer-reviewed research that helps decision-makers see beyond their political confines and electoral cycles.”
SPIN CYCLE
Outside of Blueprint, the corporate affairs carousel keeps spinning.
Lion Nathan external affairs director Dan Holland is off to Endeavour Group to take the role of corporate affairs and sustainability director. The drinks and pubs group spun off from Woolworths in June last year includes brands such as Dan Murphy’s, BWS and a sizeable pubs and hotel portfolio formerly held under ALH Group. He takes the role from Julie Ryan who is off to Sportsbet where she has been appointed chief legal and risk officer.
Meanwhile, there’s been a new coalition hire inside former Labor staffer Claire March’s adolescent lobby group Counsel House.
Siobhan Hamlin started in late February after most recently serving as chief of staff to former deputy premier John Barilaro – and was notably one of three staff who sat in on the NSW Crisis Cabinet. Before NSW politics, she served as a senior advisor to Nationals heavyweight Michael McCormack.
POINTY END PALS
Make some space at the front of the plane, Penny Wong. Another member of the ALP team has been confirmed into the rarified circle known as Qantas’ lifetime platinum status. And none other than Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese who this week revealed he had made it to the top of the pops in the frequent flyer biz by racking more than 75,000 status credits – which are different to points and are a measure of how often you fly.
As this column revealed last week, the new status confers pointy end privileges including automatic upgrades and lounge access for life and the handy addition of having your bag first off the plane. And Albo office insiders say their boss – who is an avowed aviophile and a former transport minister (a gig that involves aviation) – is stoked.
Understandable, really.
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Source: Philippines Alive
