A former Liberal MP has been given a $160,000 advisory role with the Senate president.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has approved former MP for the Tasmanian seat of Lyons, Eric Hutchinson, as an adviser to Senator Stephen Parry.
Senator Parry said he had approached the prime minister to get an extra adviser before the election and Mr Turnbull's approval was given a day before Mr Hutchinson was hired three weeks ago.
The role, which did not exist until after the election and was not advertised, could pay as much as $160,000 a year.
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Mr Hutchinson has not yet been to Canberra in his new role despite him being allocated to Senator Parry as an adviser to him as Senate president and not as a Tasmanian senator.
Senator Parry told an estimates hearing on Monday he received an "enormous" number of invitations to attend events in Tasmania as Senate president and Mr Hutchinson was an ideal person to represent him at these functions.
"An ex-member of parliament is an ideal person to represent the president of the senate at functions both here and certainly in Tasmania when I am not available" he said.
"I couldn't have asked for anyone better - it was my fortune and his misfortune."
Senator Parry admitted Mr Hutchinson would be able to attend Liberal party events if the invitation was made in his capacity as Senate president.
Labor senator Penny Wong said it was a political appointment.
"You've appointed a past Liberal MP who is doing representational work in your electorate - it sounds pretty political Mr President.
"You appointed a mate who lost his seat."
