Malcolm Turnbull’s new Cabinet has been lauded as contemporary and clever, and time will judge that.
But the decision to put Queensland Senator James McGrath, as his assistant minister (without a specific responsibility), is certainly a strategic one.
And that’s the case for two reasons.
Firstly, it leaves Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane, who is also the husband of Peta Credlin, out in the cold.
Secondly, by appointing McGrath and Tony Nutt (the NSW Liberal Party director who is helping with the transition), Turnbull is in the position to guide the next federal election campaign as much as he likes, from inside his parliamentary office.
That’s certainly how key members of the Liberal Party organisation are reading those appointments.
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To look forward, it’s worth glancing back.
Malcolm Turnbull has never been caught out singing Loughnane’s praises, and would have loved, years back, to give the job to McGrath.
McGrath, 41, has previously served as Loughnane’s deputy, but was unceremoniously dumped ahead of the 2010 federal election where he was responsible for their key seats campaign.
“There’s no way Loughnane will stay in that job. No way,’’ one senior party source said yesterday.
Another said that McGrath’s appointment is “as strategic as they come’’. “Look at his track record. Look at his relationship with Malcolm. That’s who’ll be behind the next campaign.’’
McGrath’s experience is more in the politics, than in policy, and he is widely touted as a campaign genius; the chief evidence of that is the Queensland campaign in 2012 that saw Campbell Newman, a Brisbane Lord Mayor, elected as premier of the State - from outside Parliament.
Working behind the scenes as a chief coup strategist for Malcolm Turnbull, McGrath’s appointment as assistant minister to the Prime Minister has now pushed him into the political and public spotlight.
McGrath ran that campaign, from the back room where he has always been more comfortable, managing to elect the Liberal National party in a landslide victory. (As history records Campbell Newman managed to throw that victory in an historic defeat three years later).
McGrath also worked on London Mayor Boris Johnson’s successful campaign and was able to hand new seats to Tony Abbott in 2010 after a spectacular campaign in Queensland.
Since arriving in Canberra last year, McGrath has kept his low profile, putting his head up to argue against what he sees as a leftist-bias of the ABC. McGrath used his maiden speech to mount the argument that the ABC could be privatised. He also wants the GST to be put up to 15 percent.
Working behind the scenes as a chief coup strategist for Malcolm Turnbull, McGrath’s appointment as assistant minister to the Prime Minister has now pushed him into the political and public spotlight.
His say on policy might be limited; but his influence will be keenly felt when his boss pulls the trigger on the next election campaign.
Madonna King is a senior journalist, and has worked at News Corporation Australia, Fairfax and the ABC. She is the author of six books, including a biography of Joe Hockey.
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