Latest news with #Sherr

Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Labor staffers could help change the nation. But there's a reason they're leaving
When old friends spot former Labor staffer Dean Sherr around Parliament House these days, they tend to say the same thing. 'In Canberra, people always say to me 'you look really relaxed',' Sherr says. Sherr left government last term, but in the months since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese secured a generational election victory and a sweeping mandate to change Australia, scores of senior Labor staff have followed him out of their jobs. Faced with a choice between helping to run the nation for three more years in a building that demands gruelling work hours, or a more stable life with less travel and vastly better pay, Labor lifers and recent recruits alike have decided to get out. 'It's a very difficult lifestyle for anyone to maintain,' says Sherr, who was a media adviser for Albanese and now works at boutique business consulting firm Orizontas. 'It's an amazing opportunity, but you make a lot of sacrifices and there's no doubt that it wears you out pretty quickly.' In past years, Coalition staff have done the same thing, capitalising on their ties to former colleagues still in government. The opposition's smaller ranks after the most recent election mean many staff have involuntarily lost their jobs too. But the recent departures from government show the flow to the private sector is bipartisan. When Katharine Murphy, a press gallery veteran and long-term political editor of the Guardian Australia joined Albanese's office as a press secretary last year, it appeared to be a coup for the prime minister's team. But in June, Murphy – who was well-liked by her former colleagues in the media – left her post with the government. Albanese also lost another high-profile recruit from the press gallery, former Channel Ten reporter Stela Todorovic. Other departures from the prime minister's office include advancer Prue Mercer, strategic communications director Katie Connolly, senior advisers Phoebe Drake and Lachlan McKenzie and media adviser Irene Oh. All up, more than 10 people left Albanese's team of around 50. Despite recent departures, the prime minister's office said a majority of staff across the government were female. The departures haven't been limited to the prime minister's office either. Penny Wong lost her long-term chief of staff Thomas Mooney – rumoured to have ambitions of a political career in South Australia – and media boss Caitlin Raper. Health Minister Mark Butler's chief of staff Nick Martin is gone. Brigid Delaney, a popular former Guardian columnist and co-creator of the hit Netflix series Wellmania, who has worked as a speechwriter for Labor frontbenchers Katy Gallagher and Tanya Plibersek, left to focus on her own media career. Plibersek's chief of staff Dan Doran has moved on, as has Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth's deputy chief of staff Lanai Scarr, a one-time political editor for the West Australian. 'This job is brutal,' said one former staffer, echoing numerous others who sometimes used more colourful language. One former senior staffer working in the corporate sector said that while working in politics, she would often pull 75- to 100-hour weeks. Life in the private sector is a comparative breeze. Those hours are consistent with working under both Labor and Coalition MPs. The 2021 Jenkins review into parliament's workplace culture found stressed and overworked employees were a risk factor for inappropriate behaviour and creating a toxic work environment. There have been several high-profile workplace cases in the years since, but the Albanese government has created an independent Parliamentary Workplace Support Service to assist staff and a parliamentary standards commission to confront bad behaviour by MPs. The former staffers mentioned in this piece either declined to comment or did not respond to a request for comment, but in either case there is no suggestion they were exposed to a toxic work culture. The long hours are often a product of ministers and staffers trying to manage the demands of politics, the media, and policy reform at the same time. Ryan Liddell, a former chief of staff to ex-Labor leader Bill Shorten, says the pressure to be constantly plugged in makes living a regular life challenging. 'As a staffer you normalise things like spending Christmas lunch on the phone to the boss while your family hands you beers,' says Liddell now running his own government relations firm Principle Advisory. 'You basically lose track of the weekends. On Sunday, you might wake up at 6.30am instead of 5.30am.' Little wonder then, that after an election period, people are taking stock of their lives, deciding they want to see their families, or go on holidays and figuring out an escape route. Quitting after the election also makes financial sense. Under the law for parliamentary staff, those who leave their jobs during an eight-week window after the election can walk away with a severance package five times what they'd otherwise get. It is 'life-changing' money, one former Labor staffer says. And life outside politics can be even more lucrative. Loading While some staffers are seeking to become members of parliament, many former aides instead find jobs in government relations, lobbying or public relations that often pay better than what the Commonwealth pays MPs, let alone staffers. A ministerial chief of staff in federal politics will generally earn around $250,000 a year, for example, with senior advisers taking home around $170,000. A government relations professional at a major corporation can earn over $320,000, several sources said on condition of anonymity to discuss their pay. In some sectors, that will also come with a range of perks unavailable to political staff: free private health insurance and gym membership, media subscriptions, travel and an entertainment budget to boot. Already, a few of the Albanese government's former staff have landed in high-profile corporate roles. Todorovic, the former Channel 10 journalist, began as local media director for PsiQuantum, the Silicon Valley quantum computing start-up that Labor has committed hundreds of millions to in loans and investment. After 14 years with Plibersek, Doran, her chief of staff, is headed to the Commonwealth Bank as general manager of government affairs. Liz Fitch, who quit as Albanese's press secretary last year, is now head of government affairs for Australia and New Zealand at Microsoft. Loading The ranks of Australia's major corporate players, from the big four banks, to Qantas, mining companies, and the like, are filled with people who have experience working on both sides of politics. Where former Labor staff see opportunities that match their skills, some integrity experts see a red flag. Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity, Anthony Whealy, describes lobbying and the flow of senior government and bureaucratic figures into the industry as a 'very nasty disease' that 'needs a good vaccination'. 'The government is not doing that well because it's falling into the habits that governments so often do, of complacency and then wanting to shut itself off from proper accountability and transparency. That's a worrying trend and I think it'll only get worse,' the former NSW Court of Appeal judge says. Former staffers dispute the notion of a neatly revolving door between politics and the private sector. Some, particularly those whose party has been thrust into opposition, can spend months finding work. 'Some staffers tend to have a bit of exceptionalism and think they'll automatically get a job by virtue of working for the PM,' one anonymous former Labor staffer says. In the end, staffers often stumble into the corporate world because it's the best offer outside of politics. Companies, especially those working in highly regulated environments, value ex-staffers' resilience and knowledge of the politico-media landscape. Loading And after years working in the pressure cooker of politics, staffers tend to be desperate for something lower stakes. 'In politics, if you miss something, or drop the ball, or make a mistake, it could be a scandal, it could be front page news, or get dredged up by the opposition,' says Sherr. Despite the horrendous hours and relentless pressure, everyone spoken to for this story described working in politics as an unforgettable honour, an emotional roller-coaster that can be become borderline addictive. 'You have some pretty amazing highs and some pretty horrific lows,' says Liddell, who left politics after Shorten's gutting 2019 election loss. Sherr says that while the opportunity to work for a Labor government was 'the job of a lifetime'. The accompanying lifestyle he can do without.

The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Labor staffers could help change the nation. But there's a reason they're leaving
When old friends spot former Labor staffer Dean Sherr around Parliament House these days, they tend to say the same thing. 'In Canberra, people always say to me 'you look really relaxed',' Sherr says. Sherr left government last term, but in the months since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese secured a generational election victory and a sweeping mandate to change Australia, scores of senior Labor staff have followed him out of their jobs. Faced with a choice between helping to run the nation for three more years in a building that demands gruelling work hours, or a more stable life with less travel and vastly better pay, Labor lifers and recent recruits alike have decided to get out. 'It's a very difficult lifestyle for anyone to maintain,' says Sherr, who was a media adviser for Albanese and now works at boutique business consulting firm Orizontas. 'It's an amazing opportunity, but you make a lot of sacrifices and there's no doubt that it wears you out pretty quickly.' In past years, Coalition staff have done the same thing, capitalising on their ties to former colleagues still in government. The opposition's smaller ranks after the most recent election mean many staff have involuntarily lost their jobs too. But the recent departures from government show the flow to the private sector is bipartisan. When Katharine Murphy, a press gallery veteran and long-term political editor of the Guardian Australia joined Albanese's office as a press secretary last year, it appeared to be a coup for the prime minister's team. But in June, Murphy – who was well-liked by her former colleagues in the media – left her post with the government. Albanese also lost another high-profile recruit from the press gallery, former Channel Ten reporter Stela Todorovic. Other departures from the prime minister's office include advancer Prue Mercer, strategic communications director Katie Connolly, senior advisers Phoebe Drake and Lachlan McKenzie and media adviser Irene Oh. All up, more than 10 people left Albanese's team of around 50. Despite recent departures, the prime minister's office said a majority of staff across the government were female. The departures haven't been limited to the prime minister's office either. Penny Wong lost her long-term chief of staff Thomas Mooney – rumoured to have ambitions of a political career in South Australia – and media boss Caitlin Raper. Health Minister Mark Butler's chief of staff Nick Martin is gone. Brigid Delaney, a popular former Guardian columnist and co-creator of the hit Netflix series Wellmania, who has worked as a speechwriter for Labor frontbenchers Katy Gallagher and Tanya Plibersek, left to focus on her own media career. Plibersek's chief of staff Dan Doran has moved on, as has Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth's deputy chief of staff Lanai Scarr, a one-time political editor for the West Australian. 'This job is brutal,' said one former staffer, echoing numerous others who sometimes used more colourful language. One former senior staffer working in the corporate sector said that while working in politics, she would often pull 75- to 100-hour weeks. Life in the private sector is a comparative breeze. Those hours are consistent with working under both Labor and Coalition MPs. The 2021 Jenkins review into parliament's workplace culture found stressed and overworked employees were a risk factor for inappropriate behaviour and creating a toxic work environment. There have been several high-profile workplace cases in the years since, but the Albanese government has created an independent Parliamentary Workplace Support Service to assist staff and a parliamentary standards commission to confront bad behaviour by MPs. The former staffers mentioned in this piece either declined to comment or did not respond to a request for comment, but in either case there is no suggestion they were exposed to a toxic work culture. The long hours are often a product of ministers and staffers trying to manage the demands of politics, the media, and policy reform at the same time. Ryan Liddell, a former chief of staff to ex-Labor leader Bill Shorten, says the pressure to be constantly plugged in makes living a regular life challenging. 'As a staffer you normalise things like spending Christmas lunch on the phone to the boss while your family hands you beers,' says Liddell now running his own government relations firm Principle Advisory. 'You basically lose track of the weekends. On Sunday, you might wake up at 6.30am instead of 5.30am.' Little wonder then, that after an election period, people are taking stock of their lives, deciding they want to see their families, or go on holidays and figuring out an escape route. Quitting after the election also makes financial sense. Under the law for parliamentary staff, those who leave their jobs during an eight-week window after the election can walk away with a severance package five times what they'd otherwise get. It is 'life-changing' money, one former Labor staffer says. And life outside politics can be even more lucrative. Loading While some staffers are seeking to become members of parliament, many former aides instead find jobs in government relations, lobbying or public relations that often pay better than what the Commonwealth pays MPs, let alone staffers. A ministerial chief of staff in federal politics will generally earn around $250,000 a year, for example, with senior advisers taking home around $170,000. A government relations professional at a major corporation can earn over $320,000, several sources said on condition of anonymity to discuss their pay. In some sectors, that will also come with a range of perks unavailable to political staff: free private health insurance and gym membership, media subscriptions, travel and an entertainment budget to boot. Already, a few of the Albanese government's former staff have landed in high-profile corporate roles. Todorovic, the former Channel 10 journalist, began as local media director for PsiQuantum, the Silicon Valley quantum computing start-up that Labor has committed hundreds of millions to in loans and investment. After 14 years with Plibersek, Doran, her chief of staff, is headed to the Commonwealth Bank as general manager of government affairs. Liz Fitch, who quit as Albanese's press secretary last year, is now head of government affairs for Australia and New Zealand at Microsoft. Loading The ranks of Australia's major corporate players, from the big four banks, to Qantas, mining companies, and the like, are filled with people who have experience working on both sides of politics. Where former Labor staff see opportunities that match their skills, some integrity experts see a red flag. Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity, Anthony Whealy, describes lobbying and the flow of senior government and bureaucratic figures into the industry as a 'very nasty disease' that 'needs a good vaccination'. 'The government is not doing that well because it's falling into the habits that governments so often do, of complacency and then wanting to shut itself off from proper accountability and transparency. That's a worrying trend and I think it'll only get worse,' the former NSW Court of Appeal judge says. Former staffers dispute the notion of a neatly revolving door between politics and the private sector. Some, particularly those whose party has been thrust into opposition, can spend months finding work. 'Some staffers tend to have a bit of exceptionalism and think they'll automatically get a job by virtue of working for the PM,' one anonymous former Labor staffer says. In the end, staffers often stumble into the corporate world because it's the best offer outside of politics. Companies, especially those working in highly regulated environments, value ex-staffers' resilience and knowledge of the politico-media landscape. Loading And after years working in the pressure cooker of politics, staffers tend to be desperate for something lower stakes. 'In politics, if you miss something, or drop the ball, or make a mistake, it could be a scandal, it could be front page news, or get dredged up by the opposition,' says Sherr. Despite the horrendous hours and relentless pressure, everyone spoken to for this story described working in politics as an unforgettable honour, an emotional roller-coaster that can be become borderline addictive. 'You have some pretty amazing highs and some pretty horrific lows,' says Liddell, who left politics after Shorten's gutting 2019 election loss. Sherr says that while the opportunity to work for a Labor government was 'the job of a lifetime'. The accompanying lifestyle he can do without.

30-05-2025
- Business
New York Mets hire Lew Sherr from the US Open tennis tournament as president of business operations
PARIS -- The New York Mets are hiring the person who oversees the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Lew Sherr, as their new president of business operations. Sherr has been the CEO and executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association since 2022 and has worked there since 2010, including previously as chief revenue officer. His departure was announced by the USTA on Friday; he will remain there until the end of June, then start with the Mets in July. 'For right now, my focus is the smoothest possible transition,' Sherr said in an interview with The Associated Press at the French Open. 'But I'm hugely excited about what's happening over there. (Mets owners) Steve and Alex Cohen have made a commitment to that team that is unrivaled in sports. You see it on the field, off the field. The energy around the team. The energy around what they're trying to do for the community with their foundation. The plans for the casino and the hotel and entertainment district.' Steve Cohen is among the bidders for three casino licenses to be awarded by the New York State Gaming Commission and has been lobbying to have the state legislature reclassify the parking lots adjacent to Citi Field — also near the facility that hosts the U.S. Open — from parkland to commercial land for a gaming facility. The Mets announced Scott Havens' departure as their president of business operations on Tuesday; he was in that post since December 2023. Chief legal officer Katie Pothier, chief marketing officer Andy Goldberg, chief communications officer Nancy Elder and senior vice president of finance Peter Woll have left since November. The USTA said Brian Vahaly and Andrea Hirsch will be interim co-CEOs during a search for Sherr's replacement. Vahaly is chairman of the USTA Board; Hirsch is the USTA's chief operating officer and chief legal officer. In Sherr's time as CEO, the USTA has seen growth in tennis participation around the country, along with increases in U.S. Open attendance, sponsorships, and revenue from ticket sales and broadcasting rights. 'We've taken some big swings," Sherr said Friday, 'and thankfully, they're paying off.' Just last week, he spoke at a news conference in New York to unveil an $800 million project to update Arthur Ashe Stadium and create a player performance center on the tournament grounds. He also made significant changes to this year's U.S. Open mixed doubles event in a bid to attract top singles players, making it a two-day, 16-team competition the week before the singles brackets begin. 'It's bittersweet, in that I really have loved being part of this organization for 15 years and the opportunities I've had to do just really interesting things — and not just on the commercial side, but in terms of helping us think about growing the sport,' Sherr said. "I'm leaving sleeping well at night, knowing (the USTA) is going to be well looked-after.' ___ AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed. ___


NBC Sports
30-05-2025
- Business
- NBC Sports
New York Mets hire Lew Sherr from the U.S. Open tennis tournament as president of business operations
PARIS — The New York Mets are hiring the person who oversees the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Lew Sherr, as their new president of business operations. Sherr has been the CEO and executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association since 2022 and has worked there since 2010, including previously as chief revenue officer. His departure was announced by the USTA; he will remain there until the end of June, then start with the Mets in July. 'For right now, my focus is the smoothest possible transition,' Sherr said in an interview with The Associated Press at the French Open. 'But I'm hugely excited about what's happening over there. (Mets owners) Steve and Alex Cohen have made a commitment to that team that is unrivaled in sports. You see it on the field, off the field. The energy around the team. The energy around what they're trying to do for the community with their foundation. The plans for the casino and the hotel and entertainment district.' Steve Cohen is among the bidders for three casino licenses to be awarded by the New York State Gaming Commission and has been lobbying to have the state legislature reclassify the parking lots adjacent to Citi Field — also near the facility that hosts the U.S. Open — from parkland to commercial land for a gaming facility. The Mets announced Scott Havens' departure as their president of business operations; he was in that post since December 2023. Chief legal officer Katie Pothier, chief marketing officer Andy Goldberg, chief communications officer Nancy Elder and senior vice president of finance Peter Woll have left since November. The USTA said Brian Vahaly and Andrea Hirsch will be interim co-CEOs during a search for Sherr's replacement. Vahaly is chairman of the USTA Board; Hirsch is the USTA's chief operating officer and chief legal officer. In Sherr's time as CEO, the USTA has seen growth in tennis participation around the country, along with increases in U.S. Open attendance, sponsorships, and revenue from ticket sales and broadcasting rights. 'We've taken some big swings,' Sherr said, 'and thankfully, they're paying off.' He spoke at a news conference in New York to unveil an $800 million project to update Arthur Ashe Stadium and create a player performance center on the tournament grounds. He also made significant changes to this year's U.S. Open mixed doubles event in a bid to attract top singles players, making it a two-day, 16-team competition the week before the singles brackets begin. 'It's bittersweet, in that I really have loved being part of this organization for 15 years and the opportunities I've had to do just really interesting things — and not just on the commercial side, but in terms of helping us think about growing the sport,' Sherr said. 'I'm leaving sleeping well at night, knowing (the USTA) is going to be well looked-after.'


Hamilton Spectator
30-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
New York Mets hire Lew Sherr from the US Open tennis tournament as president of business operations
PARIS (AP) — The New York Mets are hiring the person who oversees the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Lew Sherr, as their new president of business operations. Sherr has been the CEO and executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association since 2022 and has worked there since 2010, including previously as chief revenue officer. His departure was announced by the USTA on Friday; he will remain there until the end of June, then start with the Mets in July. 'For right now, my focus is the smoothest possible transition,' Sherr said in an interview with The Associated Press at the French Open . 'But I'm hugely excited about what's happening over there. (Mets owners) Steve and Alex Cohen have made a commitment to that team that is unrivaled in sports. You see it on the field, off the field. The energy around the team. The energy around what they're trying to do for the community with their foundation. The plans for the casino and the hotel and entertainment district.' Steve Cohen is among the bidders for three casino licenses to be awarded by the New York State Gaming Commission and has been lobbying to have the state legislature reclassify the parking lots adjacent to Citi Field — also near the facility that hosts the U.S. Open — from parkland to commercial land for a gaming facility. The Mets announced Scott Havens' departure as their president of business operations on Tuesday; he was in that post since December 2023. Chief legal officer Katie Pothier, chief marketing officer Andy Goldberg, chief communications officer Nancy Elder and senior vice president of finance Peter Woll have left since November. The USTA said Brian Vahaly and Andrea Hirsch will be interim co-CEOs during a search for Sherr's replacement. Vahaly is chairman of the USTA Board; Hirsch is the USTA's chief operating officer and chief legal officer. In Sherr's time as CEO, the USTA has seen growth in tennis participation around the country, along with increases in U.S. Open attendance, sponsorships, and revenue from ticket sales and broadcasting rights. 'We've taken some big swings,' Sherr said Friday, 'and thankfully, they're paying off.' Just last week, he spoke at a news conference in New York to unveil an $800 million project to update Arthur Ashe Stadium and create a player performance center on the tournament grounds. He also made significant changes to this year's U.S. Open mixed doubles event in a bid to attract top singles players, making it a two-day, 16-team competition the week before the singles brackets begin. 'It's bittersweet, in that I really have loved being part of this organization for 15 years and the opportunities I've had to do just really interesting things — and not just on the commercial side, but in terms of helping us think about growing the sport,' Sherr said. 'I'm leaving sleeping well at night, knowing (the USTA) is going to be well looked-after.' ___ AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed. ___ Howard Fendrich is an AP national writer. Find his stories here: . AP MLB: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .