to Treasury
Perth
Michigan
ductive. According to Mr Nahan, about 93 per cent of migrants
are skilled.
“We could not have done the growth of the mining sector
without that,” he says. “We would have, economically, run into
a brick wall without the migrants coming in and providing the
skilled labour necessary.”
For those wishing to pursue a political career, Mr Nahan singles
out the significance of local engagement. He says it is important
to adopt Australia as one’s own country and to participate in the
political system.
“If you want to make a contribution to your new country, then
participate,” he says. “Do not rely on other people.”
Mr Nahan is not one to encourage people into ethnic enclaves.
“I readily recognise it is important for new migrants to stick
together and join associations, for language, culture, advice and
whatnot, but become Australian.
“Australia is a culture that absorbs people, sometimes reluctantly, but it absorbs people, it adopts people, and it is changing.
So participate,” he says.
And Mr Nahan himself certainly has walked his talk of participation. Besides his engagement with the WA Government, Mr Nahan has a 15-year history working for the independent, non-profit
public policy think tank the Institute of Public Affairs. Having first
run its Perth office from 1990, he then moved to Melbourne in
1995 to become the Institute’s Executive Director.
During this time he was also a columnist for the Herald Sun and
held a regular spot at a Melbourne radio station.
“I went out and covered everything under the sun,” he says.
With a fearless approach to heated discussion, Mr Nahan left
his mark and was in 2001 awarded a Centenary Medal by the
Australian Government for his contribution to public policy.
“I was a commentator on public policies on wide-ranging issues
and ran the IPA, which then made a big difference to the debate,”
he says.
In 2005, however, the Nahan’s decided to leave Melbourne and
the IPA and head to sunny Perth. Back in WA, Mr Nahan was
asked by the Liberal Party to stand for the upper house, but instead decided to stand for the then Labor-held seat of Riverton.
This he won by 64 votes in 2008 and still holds.
Mr Nahan’s pathway to success in the WA Government, however, was carved from his technocratic background rather than from
strategic pursuit.
“I’m not a typical politician,” he says. Rather than accessing the
world of politics through party activism, advisory roles, or entering
from a safe seat, he came in at a mature age with a broad spectrum of knowledge and experience.
“And indeed, one of the nice things people say about me is
‘you do not sound like a politician’,” he says.
Mr Nahan does not beat around the bush.
“I say it like it is, and that can get me in trouble,” he says, hinting at the valued presence of his media advisor.
Mr Nahan draws inspiration from political leaders of no timid
nature. His favourite politician was former Prime Minister of the
United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher. Locally, he admires the leadership style of former Australian senator Peter Walsh and values
the close friendship of his own predecessor at the IPA and former
Australian politician John Hyde.
“Principle, straight forward, change-oriented,” he says, listing
his points of admiration.
Winter 2015 | www.smpmagazine.com.au
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