Although no longer leading the political charge, Matt Birney’s still making waves.
WESTERN Australians don't normally yell gratuitous abuse at their fellow Sandgropers, but it's something Matt Birney has to deal with.
Posing for a photo in Richardson Street in West Perth this week, the smartly dressed 39-year-old suddenly had a torrent of abuse hurled in his direction by a passing pedestrian.
As leader of the pro-daylight saving campaign, Mr Birney knows just how much the issue stirs community passions.
"Daylight saving affects every single Western Australian and that's why you get such a huge response whenever you mention those two words,'' he says.
"I remember when I was in politics, I never had more than about 50 emails or phone calls on any one subject, no matter how controversial.
"When I introduced this Daylight Saving Bill, I had 5,000 emails in two or three days."
Mr Birney, who spent eight years in state parliament, including one tumultuous year as opposition leader, says he is not leading the campaign because he is a frustrated politician.
His interest in the issue started when he was doorknocking in Kalgoorlie for the 2001 state election, and found many shift workers who wanted daylight saving.
"I was fulfilling a promise to the people of Kalgoorlie when I introduced that (daylight saving) bill," Mr Birney says.
Leading the 'yes' campaign for daylight saving is one of many pursuits.
"I was keen after politics not to be tied to any one thing and I'd like to keep it that way for a while."
He is non-executive chairman of stock exchange-listed company, Carbon Conscious, which raised $8 million in a public share offer last year. Its core business is establishing and managing large-scale tree plantations to offset carbon emissions
Another pursuit is consulting, in two related areas - public relations and media advice, and government relations.
"I'm assisting people to tell their story publicly, giving them some advice about how you go about doing that," Mr Birney says.
"I'm also giving advice about government decision making, how you get through the maze, what the process is, who are the best people to speak to.
"Once again, its not full time and I don't want it to be.
"I'm only taking on arguments that I think are good arguments. I don't want to be seen out there as a hired gun."
Before entering politics, Mr Birney established and helped to build an automotive parts business.
"Small business is something I've always enjoyed so I'm now a 50 per cent silent partner in three small businesses."
These businesses are involved in importing, boat building, and food, beverage and coffee.
For a bit of fun, he will be guest presenter on 6PR radio next week, filling in for Howard Sattler, and is looking for more corporate work.
"I'm keen to take on another one or two non-executive directorships in the corporate area and in time, not yet, once I've got the things I'm involved with under control, I'd probably look at an executive role somewhere."
He says the boat building business, Magnum Boats, started as a pipe dream, and to date has been more of an expensive hobby than a business
"I've been involved in boats for about 20 years and asked a mate about three years ago about designing the ultimate sports cruiser boat and having it built in China.
"It's been a very expensive exercise, it was always going to be, and interestingly we've just sold our first two boats.
"It's been a bit of fun and we're really happy that we've designed a beautiful boat. I don't think its ever going to make us rich but it's something we've really enjoyed doing."
"Everybody wants to build in China; very few people know how to do it and how tough it is. It was a very difficult process that was dotted with landmines."
For the next few weeks, the focus will be on the lead-up to the May 16 daylight saving referendum,
The debate has been quiet for extended periods, quieter than many had expected, but fired up a few weeks ago when the WA Farmers Federation launched a contentious campaign.
"It went off with a bang when the farmers started saying it was bad for road safety," Mr Birney says.
"They seemed to be thrashing around looking for an argument and they settled on an argument that is normally used by the 'yes' case."
The campaign has given Mr Birney an opportunity to learn more about modern trends, including the establishment of a Facebook page.
About 7,000 'fans' have registered on the campaign's Facebook page and he is hoping it will be an effective way of recruiting volunteer helpers to work on polling booths on voting day.
Like many people, Mr Birney is somewhat mystified by Facebook, Twitter and other social networking web sites.
"To be honest, I'm not quite up to speed with it, but I know it's been really well received," he says.
One of the 'yes' campaign's major priorities has been signing up young people, who tend to favour daylight saving but are not registered to vote.
The campaign has used FM radio and online for its campaign to get more teenagers to register.
Mr Birney is supported by a high-profile committee that includes Azure capital executive chairman John Poynton, Labor MP John Kobelke, Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive James Pearson, restaurateur and Tourism WA chair Kate Lamont, and West Coast Eagles captain Darren Glass.
"We've got a really good committee that, like me, realise that daylight saving is a way of improving your quality of life."
As clear as daylight
Why lead the daylight saving campaign?
"It's something I started a long time ago that I'd like to see through. I'm not obsessed by it, I don't think it's a huge issue, it certainly isn't more important than health or education or law and order, it's just a way of improving our quality of life."
How do you relax?
"I love boating, it's probably the only thing that really relaxes me; just cruising. We like to go down to Mandurah, we hire a house on the canals with a few friends, have a barbecue on the balcony. We go to Dunsborough, the water is just second to none."
What is your career plan?
"I'm doing a lot of different things, which is where I wanted to be (after politics). I didn't want to get tied down too soon to one particular thing."
Major achievement?
"To this day I consider my greatest achievement to be winning the seat of Kalgoorlie for the first time in history for the Liberal Party."
Major regret?
"I never wanted to be a long-term career politician, I said that from the start, and I never wanted to be just another politician. I wanted to make a difference and my greatest regret is that I never got into government."
Could the political process be better?
"In government there are 16 or 17 good jobs so you can appease all the chiefs; in opposition there is only one so-called good job and everybody wants it. But if I look back it was a wonderful experience on balance."
