Occupational profile of ALP, LP and National MHRs 1949-2007: From divergence to convergence

Abstract

This paper examines the occupational backgrounds of Australian Labor Party (ALP), Liberal and National party MPs in the federal House of Representatives in the period 1949-2007. It finds that in the last 20 years, there has been a convergence in the preparliamentary occupations of MPs, as evidenced by the increase in the number of MPs previously employed as political staffers. This paper further finds that this trend has been most pronounced among MPs from the ALP and Liberal parties but less so within National party ranks. In addition to setting out the trends in pre-parliamentary occupations among MHRs over five decades, the paper seeks to account for both the increase in the number of former political staffers serving in parliament and the reasons why that trend is comparatively weak among National MPs.