This is a sticky one, IMO , because apart from the alleged spying incident referred to by ASIO, there can be a conflict of interest by ex-pollies who take up positions with foreign owned entities whether Multinationals or part/wholly foreign Government owned.
In recent times there are a few: -Tony Abbott had a paid advisor role to the UK Government re UK/Aus FTA -Andrew Robb re his Landbridge role (Chinese lease owner Darwin Port) (Relinquished role just before the Espionage Act came into effect)# -Josh Frydenberg re his position with a Multinational Bank
-And Downer ##
etc, etc.
Perhaps there is a reasonable argument that politicians sacrifice their careers to take up positions in Parliament and that they should be capable of re-entering private enterprise uninhibited However, Ministers and PMs have access to privileged Government information and, IMO, this ought to restrict who/when/where that they can be subsequently employed. For instance if the Chinese Government had employed Tony Abbott as a consultant to the China-AUS FTA , would that be acceptable? IMO, no.
Government partially recognises the sacrifices made by politicians by offering generous Super and in the case of ex-PMs maintained office/travel concessions for life etc etc.
# "While he was Minister for Trade and Investment, Robb approved Chinese company Shandong Landbridge Group to lease Port Darwin for 99 years. As soon as he left politics, Robb was hired by Shandong Landbridge on a $880,000 per year salary.[1] In 2019, Robb left the position, shortly before a new foreign-interference law took effect.[2]The issue of Politicians acting in the interests of a foreign Government" (source Wikipedia) ..
