New Leader but Same Old Adviser?

Thursday, 8th February, 2007  - Richard Farmer 
Federal Labor might have a new leader but reports this morning indicate that Kevin Rudd is about to recycle an old party adviser into the key position on his personal staff.
Simon Banks has worked over the years for five Labor members including former leader Simon Crean. Perhaps one policy cause he will push is the establishment of an independent institute of fiscal studies to promote research and debate on key fiscal issues and to monitor and advise on the Government's fiscal statements.
Banks advocated such an institute in an article published in The Australian last year. "We need more policy debate in Australia, not less" he wrote in what Crikey colleague Henry Thornton described at the time as "a great opinion piece."

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