Former Greens leader Adam Bandt's new gig revealed
Persistent speculation says Bandt is heading to the Australian Conservation Foundation, which sounds like a great fit. But so far, it is back to the future for the ex-Greens leader, who led the party to unprecedented lower house success in 2022 before it lost three seats – including his own – at the federal election on May 3.
CBD hears Bandt is working for the United Firefighters Union (UFU), a Labor-aligned union, where an old mate and client, Peter Marshall, presides as secretary. Bandt has been spotted attending the office from time to time in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, in his old federal seat of Melbourne.
Pre-parliament, Bandt was an industrial relations and public interest barrister and solicitor and worked protecting the rights of coal miners in the La Trobe Valley after power station privatisation.
He has represented the UFU before, which often clashes with Labor governments, something Bandt definitely vibes with.
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The firebrand union last put its head above the parapet when it challenged the Victorian state government's plan to increase its fire services levy and convert it into an Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund.
Marshall also attacked the federal government's demerger plans for the CFMEU after this masthead's Building Bad series revealed corruption and links with bikies. Bandt also attacked the legislation.
The association is longstanding. The UFU backed Bandt in the 2010 election for Melbourne when he took the seat off Labor, and several times since. Bandt was elected five times before losing his seat to Labor this year in a shock turn of events the ALP didn't see coming. And neither did Bandt.
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