opinion Senator Stephen Conroy has done such a good job as Communications Minister that he should be promoted to take over the Finance Ministry even before incumbent Lindsay Tanner retires at the next election.

It’s important that new Prime Minister Julia Gillard appoint someone with a good track record to be the next Finance Minister. The Department of Finance and Deregulation is one of the more important departments in the Federal Government, and it needs a firm and steady Minister to keep it on an even keel.

The position would represent a promotion for Conroy, as Communications is still seen as a mid-level ministry in the Federal Government – not as important as, say, the Treasury or Health, but more important than Sport, for example. Here’s why we think Conroy should get the job.

1. He’s degree-qualified: Conroy has a Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University, which means he will understand many of the financial concepts key to the finance ministry. Many of his political colleagues don’t have economic qualifications, and some don’t even have degrees. But Conroy will be down with the financial lingo.

2. His employment history: Before he entered politics he served as superannuation officer with the Transport Workers Union in Victoria, adding to his understanding of the finance portfolio.

3. He has been the shadow minister: From 2001 through 2003, Conroy served as the Shadow Minister for Finance, Small Business and Financial Services. He has also had lengthy stints as the Shadow Minister for Financial Services, Regulation and Corporate Governance.

4. Committee work: Conroy has demonstrated his interest in the finance portfolio through serving on numerous Senate finance committees for many years – such as the Finance and Public Administration: Reference Committee, the Corporations and Financial Services Committee and the Corporations and Securities Committee.

5. He worked closely with Tanner on a number of financial deals related to the National Broadband Network – indeed, out of all the Ministers in Rudd’s Labor Government, it was Tanner that Conroy worked closest with over the past two and a half years.

6. Political allegiance: Conroy is known to be a staunch member of the Labor right faction which catapulted Gillard into power last week. It would be appropriate that Gillard reward several members of that faction with Cabinet promotions.

7. Ministerial performance: Conroy is one of the only Rudd ministers to be successfully delivering a major election policy – the National Broadband Network. The NBN policy is extremely popular in the electorate and it would be fitting for Gillard to reward its chief proponent.

8. Promoting Conroy would allow Gillard to distance him from the internet filter policy, which is extremely unpopular in the electorate. The PM could then gradually weaken that policy (for example, by implementing opt-in or opt-out provisions) so that it doesn’t become an election issue.

9. A major task of the Finance Minister is to administer Government internal technology policy, particularly through working with the Australian Government Information Management Office within the Department of Finance and Deregulation. Conroy’s experience in the technology portfolio would give him insight into how technology is best used in the public sector and how it can better adopt Web 2.0-style technologies.

10. Conroy’s experience in dealing with Telstra and the NBN have given him solid experience of complicated financial situations. This would be to his advantage in the Finance portfolio.

All in all, the evidence is overwhelming that Communications Minister Stephen Conroy should be promoted to be the next Minister for Finance and Deregulation when new Prime Minister Julia Gillard conducts her inevitable cabinet reshuffle. Go Conroy!

Image credit: Office of Stephen Conroy

Related posts:

1. Gillard: Conroy will get filter into shape
2. Should Gillard replace Conroy with Lundy?
3. Conroy retains communications portfolio
4. Full video: Gillard + Conroy on Telstra separation
5. Gillard is ripping up Labor’s NBN credibility

1. Robotic Buttocks
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 9:26 am | Permalink | Reply

   I see what you’re trying to do there.

   • Renai LeMay
     Posted 28/06/2010 at 9:34 am | Permalink | Reply

     I have *no idea* what you are talking about! ;)

2. Mark newton
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 10:20 am | Permalink | Reply

   If you make Conroy Finance Minister, he instantly gets control over virtually everything the Government does.

   I’m not sure we’d all be slapping each others’ backs over a job well done if we managed to convince everyone that that was a good idea, causing it to actually happen :)

3. Peter Holland
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 10:31 am | Permalink | Reply

   good one renai. out of comms into finance. what happens when he orders a crackdown on govt spending? the ICT industry will take up torches and pitchforks to visit you with…

4. ahrenm
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 11:10 am | Permalink | Reply

   Well the last sentance I agree with.

5. Michael
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 11:47 am | Permalink | Reply

   I still think the best plan is to create a “ministry” with responsibility for the NBN – (he hasn’t done a BAD job getting that to where it is) – and shuffle him into that. Let someone else – (whether it be Lundy or not) – take over the Communications portfolio – say, someone with some knowledge/experience/ability in the area. Putting Conroy in charge of the finances is like letting a gremlin take charge of the household refrigeration after midnight!

6. weez
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 11:51 am | Permalink | Reply

   Peter Principle, film @ 11.

7. AVi
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 12:28 pm | Permalink | Reply

   “Senator Stephen Conroy has done such a good job as Communications Minister…”

   Really? What drugs are you on?

8. Graeme
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 12:58 pm | Permalink | Reply

   This is satire, right? Please tell me this is satire.

9. ahrenm
   Posted 28/06/2010 at 1:07 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Maybe R. is trying to get this picked up by TheReg ;-)

   • Graeme
     Posted 28/06/2010 at 1:11 pm | Permalink | Reply

     This is better than any article on The Onion I’ve read recently…

10. Jenna Pitcher
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 1:28 pm | Permalink | Reply

    Conroy has germinated long enough, time to see him blossom elsewhere.

11. bahhumbug
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 5:16 pm | Permalink | Reply

    Great satire Renai, you should write for Hey hey its Saturday.

    • Simon Reidy
      Posted 28/06/2010 at 5:26 pm | Permalink | Reply

      Ouch!

12. Bob
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 5:26 pm | Permalink | Reply

    In ‘The Brittas Empire’ that’s how they solved the problem of being lumbered with Gordon Brittas, to whom Conroy bears an uncanny resemblance. (my apologies to Chris Barrie)

    • Duke
      Posted 28/06/2010 at 7:18 pm | Permalink | Reply

      He does look like Brittas but the forehead gives him away…he is actually the clone from Red Dwarf! Go Cloneroy!

13. Simon Reidy
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 5:28 pm | Permalink | Reply

    Why can’t someone just poison this guys lunch already? I don’t want to kill him. Just filter him. Something that will destroy his voice box and ability to type. Leaving him sanitised, filtered and suitable for public consumption.

14. Paul K
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 6:34 pm | Permalink | Reply

    It should be coming evident that the manditory web filter is unpopular, and to a part of the electorate that would ordinarily be doing cartwheels over the NBN.

    What happens when the liberals promise the NBN for less money, and no manditory filter next election?

    Instant swing of 4-10%.

    You have to know someone over there has broached the idea.

15. Bryce Letcher
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 7:03 pm | Permalink | Reply

    Clearly Renai LeMay needs more work on her journalistic skills as the satire is hard to detect. For a few minutes I thought she was serious. Imagine that!!!

16. Zak
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 7:24 pm | Permalink | Reply

    He’s got a bachelor of economics from ANU? Geez and here i was thinking you had to get qualified to be a minister.

17. Joel
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 7:35 pm | Permalink | Reply

    I wonder how long it took to think of all those 10 “good” reasons?!

18. NomNom
    Posted 28/06/2010 at 9:39 pm | Permalink | Reply

    I’ll never vote for a party that has a Narzi member within it’s party and have given them an official place.

19. Myles Peterson
    Posted 29/06/2010 at 12:18 am | Permalink | Reply

    Sheesh, what a horrible solution – but, I like your lateral thinking, Renai.

    Disappointed with legacy media. Every one of them carrying the story “Rudd left out,” while their comment sections fill with disbelief over Conroy being left in. It’s very puzzling.

20. Jaz
    Posted 29/06/2010 at 9:30 am | Permalink | Reply

    This is hilarious satire right?

    • tim
      Posted 29/06/2010 at 11:05 am | Permalink | Reply

      i dont think its satire, but it is a way of getting him out of his current portfolio. I just dont know if i would trust him with Finance either……

21. Chris
    Posted 29/06/2010 at 12:34 pm | Permalink | Reply

    Or you could just fire the tosser

22. Elwood
    Posted 01/07/2010 at 6:02 am | Permalink | Reply

    Make him Ambassador for Heard Island or something. He could sit down there with all his mates and download something nice to watch.

23. Paul
    Posted 01/07/2010 at 9:23 am | Permalink | Reply

    #8