Mike Baird scores himself a new job

Remember when Mike Baird resigned as Premier of New South Wales last month?

Well, his time of unemployment has been shorter than what most of us would have experienced after leaving a job.

Baird has scored himself a new role with the National Australia Bank as a chief customer officer for corporate and institutional banking.

It’s a role that returns him to his banking roots.

The ABC reports that before Baird entered politics, he worked in the banking sector for 17 years – including 10 years at NAB.

Apparently, the former Premier received a “deluge” of job offers following his resignation.

He told a press briefing that he was due to start his new job in mid-April, the ABC reports.

“When I finished public life – and that was an incredible privilege – in my mind I wasn’t clear where I was going to go,” he said.

“But, over the past few weeks, as I’ve considered various opportunities that have been presented, what has been very clear is that this is the best.”

So, how did Baird get the job?

Well, NAB’s chief executive Andrew Thorburn told the ABC the position wasn’t created specially for Baird.

“This particular job … was absolutely live, so this was a real job that was available,” he said.

“What we were able to do was then put Mike into the process quite quickly and put him through all the same processes that other people that I’d seen had gone through, and he came through as the clear winner.”

Baird isn’t the only former premier to be appointed to a role in the banking sector this month.

Former Queensland premier Anna Bligh was appointed as the head of the Australian Bankers’ Association two weeks ago.

Bligh and Baird’s appointments are the latest high profile appointments of former politicians in recent years, prompting many on social media to discuss and question why politicians are able to get such high profile jobs after serving in public office.

What do you think about Mike Baird’s new job?