Scott Cam's nice work if you can get it
Thursday, 05 March 2020
This scene from Senate Estimates sounds like something from fantasy land.
$350K to Cam Scott for:
- His face & endorsement on a website which has 1,400 views and 223 comments
- No personal appearances
- 3 short videos
- 4 posts on Facebook and Instagram
Television tradie Scott Cam has received $145,000 in taxpayers funds to be the government’s careers ambassador but has not attended one public event in the role beyond a media conference with Scott Morrison to announce the appointment last October.
The Block host is being paid $350,000 for the 18-month position, including $226,000 this financial year. He has received $145,000 for the first five months of the contract.
Skills Department officials told Senate estimates on Thursday that Cam had appeared in three short videos, made a combined four posts on Facebook and Instagram, and posted on an “engagement hub” on the National Career Institute’s website.
Officials initially told the hearing that further events were planned for Cam. When pressed by Labor senators for details, officials said the department was negotiating with Cam and his talent agency.
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash subsequently told the hearing that Cam would take part in at least eight events as careers ambassador this year.
Senator Cash said Cam, a Gold Logie winner, would join her for a TAFE event in Western Australia next week and would host the National Training Awards in November.
“It is literally the Logies of training awards in Australia,” she said.
Senator Cash said Cam’s job was about influencing views of vocational education and training. “It’s about utilising that profile to draw people’s attention into what otherwise they may not actually give any notice to,” she told the hearing.
The three short videos featuring Cam included videos played at jobs fairs at Penrith and Homebush.
The third video features Cam congratulating finalists at the 2019 Australian Training Awards. It was played at the event as he was unable to attend the awards.
Cam’s work on the National Career Institute website’s engagement hub involved him posing questions and seeking feedback but the event was not live and he was not required to respond to the questions.
The department said it received 223 “stakeholder responses” but it had not yet responded to the feedback.
The Rudd government also paid taxpayers funds to Cam for “representational services”, including the opening of a Jobs Expo in NSW.