Over a dozen former Liberal MPs and political staffers have been appointed to high-paying federal government jobs this year. 

Two former Liberals were given jobs for life last month. 

Alana Matheson, the former Liberal deputy mayor of Campbelltown and daughter of two-term Liberal MP Russell Matheson, has been appointed to the $387,960 per annum job of Fair Work Commissioner.

Former Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella has also been made a FWC commissioner. Ms Mirabella was appointed until 2033 and Ms Matheson until 2047; dates corresponding with the two women reaching 65 and having to retire.

Former deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss has been re-appointed chair of the Australian Rail Track Corporation, entitling him to a part-time salary of $166,290. Former Liberal MP Bruce Billson was appointed Small Business Ombudsman on a $360,250 salary earlier this year; former backbencher Eric Hutchinson has been re-appointed as Administrator of Norfolk Island with a $304,830 salary, while former Liberal senator Kay Patterson has been re-appointed as Age Discrimination Commissioner on $360,250.

Former Liberal Party federal and state director Tony Nutt, who was central to the careers of John Howard, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, has been re-appointed as a director of the Australia Post; a position paid a minimum of $96,890 per year. 

Mr Nutt has also been re-appointed as a Member of the National Museum of Australia Council on $22,180 and re-appointed as a contractor to the Australian Public Service Commission on a $45,000, eight-month contract.

Former NSW Liberal Premier Nick Greiner is now Consul-General in New York, Victorian state minister Mary Wooldridge has the $360,250 per year job of Director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, while former Liberal Finance Minister Nick Minchin is Australia’s new Independent Food and Grocery Code Reviewer, on $1,499 per day.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s former chief of staff Charles Wann is now a chief operating officer in the Health Department , paid a base salary of $317,250.

Former Liberal staffers Peter Conran and Jason Marocci are being paid $800 per day for their advisory roles with Sport Integrity Australia.

These are just the major appointments, with dozens more Liberal MPs, staff and party faithful being posted to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

The Federal Government has played a dead bat to claims of extensive political favour, saying; “all members appointed by this government are appropriately qualified”.

The opposition’s government accountability spokesperson Kristina Keneally has criticised the “unbelievable” jobs for “Liberal mates”.

“Scott Morrison thundered in parliament at Christine Holgate for handing out a few watches, but he’s handed out millions of taxpayer dollars to over a dozen Liberal mates this year alone,” Senator Keneally said.

“Ordinary Australians can only dream of getting such job security and high pay.”