Ex-Lib MP living his best life and flying the flag in Saudi Arabia
Politicians who have just lost their seats in the federal election would do well to remember that life after politics can take our former elected representatives to some unusual places.
CBD has long been intrigued by the post-political life of former Liberal frontbencher Wyatt Roy, once Australia's youngest MP and minister, who is now earning a pretty penny in Saudi Arabia as head of innovation at Neom, the futuristic desert city project that is part of the petro-state's squillion-dollar image rebrand.
The kingdom has been spending eye-watering sums trying to shrug off a global pariah status earned through its barbaric treatment of women, and the dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 (de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is widely suspected of having ordered the killing – including by the CIA – although he denied this).
Roy's current Saudi job has placed him at the centre of the geopolitical universe. When US President Donald Trump was in Riyadh at an investment forum on Tuesday to sign a $219 billion arms deal with MBS, Roy had a good seat in the crowd, documenting the historic moment on all his social media platforms with breathless excitement.
''We are witnessing the birth of a modern Middle East – defined by commerce, not chaos.' – President Trump tonight in Riyadh,' the ex-politician wrote on social media.
'It's been a big day flying the flag at the Saudi–US Investment Forum,' Roy posted across Instagram/LinkedIn/Facebook/X, with pictures of the president addressing the crowd and shaking hands with the crown prince, plus another of Trump's billionaire buddy Elon Musk.
'Even Elon was in the room – promising Starlink, robotaxis, humanoid robots … and maybe a tunnel or two.'
Young Roy (he turns 35 next week) didn't take up our invitation to enlighten us further.
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