Former Indi Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella is joining the University of Melbourne as a public policy fellow. It is the second job that she is going to hold, after the federal government’s announcement last December that she would be joining the Board of the government owned naval defense company ASC Pty Ltd, formerly known as Australian Submarine Corporation.

The University of Melbourne states Ms Mirabella’s role as a public policy fellow will require her assisting students, delivering lectures and organising public policy seminars
and forums. Ms Mirabella studied law and commerce at the university in the 1980s and is a former President of the Melbourne University Liberal Club and Vice-President of the Australian Liberal Students’ Federation.

“I hope to be able to impart some real-life experience about politics,” she said in a statement, where she expressed her satisfaction for her new job.

Professor Adrian Little, head of the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne has welcomed the development stating that “Sophie’s experience
in public policy and deep understanding of politics will be invaluable.” he said.

Melbourne University has only one other public policy fellow, namely Nicholas Reece, a former senior adviser to Victorian Premiers Steve Bracks and John Brumby and to labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Sophie Mirabella, a close ally of Prime minister Tony Abbott, was formerly the Coalitions spokeswoman for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, and would have
been a cabinet minister had she been elected last September.

Her part time appointment is to be taken up immediately.

Source: ABC, Fairfax Media