59% of Australian ministers since 2013 moved into private-sector roles in industries they previously regulated — within months of leaving office.
Named examples: - Ian Macfarlane (Resources Minister) → Queensland Resources Council CEO - Martin Ferguson (Resources Minister) → APPEA Advisory Board - Mark Vaile (Deputy PM) → Whitehaven Coal Chairman
Australia's current cooling-off period is 12–18 months. It covers only direct lobbying of former colleagues — not board seats, not advisory roles, not equity positions. A former resources minister can join a gas company's board on day one; they simply cannot call their former department for 18 months.
A board seat at a major resources, banking or defence company pays $200K–$800K per year for 10–15 days of work. That payment is not compensation for expertise — it is a deferred payment for the regulatory relationships built during ministerial tenure.
The PRRT has generated ~$800M–2B per year since its weakening in 2012. Norway extracts NOK 1.1T+ annually from comparable geology. The $84B estimated gap in foregone Australian resource rent since 2000 (ANU Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, 2022) is in substantial part a function of the relationship between former resources ministers and the industry they now advise.
Modelled on the EU's MEP transitional allowance but upgraded to a lifetime instrument:
| Feature | EU Model | Australian DTA |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Up to 24 months | Lifetime |
| Annual value | Basic parliamentary salary | $600K–$1.5M (matching private board pay) |
| Restriction | Can't lobby former peers during payout | Lifetime forfeiture for any restricted-sector role |
Restricted sectors: fossil fuel · banking · defence · pharmaceutical · real estate development · government relations / lobbying
The annuity is immediately and permanently revoked upon acceptance of any employment, board seat, consulting retainer, or equity position in a restricted sector.
The choice is entirely free. Accept the board seat, forfeit the annuity forever. Take the annuity, remain permanently independent. The state does not prohibit former ministers from working — it makes independence the financially superior option. This structure avoids any Section 92 constitutional challenge (freedom of trade).
All recipients are publicly reported quarterly. Any restricted-sector contact triggers automatic ICAC referral.
The entire DTA programme costs less than the weekly interest on Australia's foregone gas revenue.