Arthur Sinodinos, a strong contender for the next president of the NSW Liberal Party, is finally coming out into the limelight in his own right after a decade-long tenure as a strong, yet low-key figure as John Howard’s chief of staff.
The former Prime Minister’s conservative, white-collar background may be a world away from his Greek-migrant, working-class roots, nevertheless the pair forged a strong bond and Sinodinos settled in comfortably into the political realm.
His strong relationship with John Howard was evident in descriptions of him in Howard’s autobiography, Lazarus Rising. Mr Sinodinos was described in the book as “universally respected by [Mr Howard’s] staff and my parliamentary colleagues” as well as a “gifted economist”.
Since leaving Canberra four years ago, Sinodinos has become a prominent figure in the corporate circuit, providing insider insight on national politics and public policy. Sinodinos has also been a columnist for The Australian and for the past two years, the NSW division’s financial director.
Disappointment over the NSW state election outcome in March led Liberal leader Tony Abbott to push for the removal of the then president Natasha Mclaren-Jones. However this was rejected by the new Premier Barry O’Farell on grounds the move would stir up tensions in the party. Mclaren-Jones has since been elected into state parliament, paving the way for Sinodinos to make his bid for party presidency.
Factional confidence for Sinodinos to take the reins continues to be strong, with fellow Liberals citing Sinodinos’ experience as chief of staff and financial expertise as some of his strongest selling-points.
