Bishop tops feds' poll

Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop has become the most influential Western Australian on the national political stage during the past year.

Her steady rise stands in contrast to the unexpected recent exit from politics of former senator Ian Campbell, who 12 months ago had been considered a rising star.

Ms Bishop has held the education, science and training portfolios since January 2006 and progressively acquired an increasing national profile.

The retirement of former immigration minister Amanda Vanstone earlier this year made Ms Bishop – alongside Sydney-based communications minister Helen Coonan – the most senior woman in federal politics, and almost inevitably invited speculation about how far she could rise.

Ms Bishop, who is the social partner of Perth Lord Mayor Dr Peter Nattrass, has never been considered a factional power player inside the Liberal Party.

In contrast, Mr Campbell cut his teeth as a factional player in the Young Liberals and, along with Senator Chris Ellison, was for many years considered the top powerbroker in the Liberal party in WA.

Mr Campbell joined the ministry in 2003, rose to become environment and heritage minister and was widely expected to rise further.

While his achievements included leading an international campaign against whaling, he will probably be remembered for blocking a wind farm in Victoria.

This decision was ostensibly to protect orange-bellied parrots but was widely seen as a thinly-disguised political ploy.

Mr Campbell was moved to the human services portfolio earlier this year in what was generally regarded as a demotion.

That was followed by his resignation from the ministry, when he was unexpectedly (and incidentally) caught up in the political controversy over former WA premier Brian Burke’s political lobbying activities.

Mr Campbell was expected to return to the ministry if the Liberals won the next election but instead surprised observers by retiring from the senate.

That paved the way for new Liberal party powerbroker, Matthias Cormann, to make an early entry to the senate.

Also on the rise is Senator David Johnston, who effectively replaced Mr Campbell in the ministry earlier this year.

With the federal election due later this year likely to be closely contested, Labor politicians Stephen Smith and Chris Evans could be senior ministers by the end of 2007.

Mr Smith, whose background included being state secretary of the Labor Party and an adviser to former prime minister Paul Keating, has been a top powerbroker inside the party for many years but has not been considered a particularly effective public performer.

He is Labor’s education and training spokesman, while Senator Evans is Labor’s leader in the senate and spokesman on national development, resources and energy.

Another influential figure on the Labor side of politics is Gary Gray, who is the endorsed candidate in former leader Kim Beazley’s seat of Brand.

Mr Gray was formerly national secretary of the party and has spent the past few years in Perth as Woodside’s head of corporate affairs.