Doing The Job vs Being Seen To Do It: A Minister Explains | Mal Brough - EP183

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He grew up with an outside dunny on a dirt road south of Brisbane, and ended up sitting in John Howard's cabinet. Mal Brough's dad had polio from age four, ran the family corner store opposite a three-teacher primary school, and lost every election he ever ran in.

Mal joined the army on a whim at 18, walked away in 1987 to become a milkman, built a hairdressing wholesale business on the Sunshine Coast, and only joined the Liberal Party after ringing talkback radio to tear strips off the government over a wage subsidy.

He then cashed in his super, took a holiday on his mortgage and went 12 months without income to win the new seat of Longman in 1996.

In this episode you'll learn what Canberra actually looks like from the inside, why a backbencher is not "the government", and why your first loyalty is always to the people who sent you there.

Get in touch with Mal Brough

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mal-brough-1363a3335/

Mal's Quick Fire Answers

What does success mean to you?

"Happiness — being content, seeing your family do well, your kids, your grandkids, and sometimes just being able to help someone else in a quiet little way because you've had that privilege and experience to do things."

What does happiness mean to you?

“Just being content. Happiness is fleeting. It's not about joy every day. It's about being happy with who you are, being satisfied with who you are, content with who you are, and trying to be the best person that you can be. That's enough."

What's your normal morning routine these days?

"Down to Alex Surf Club. Hopefully have a swim — if you can call what I do swimming, a bit of a dip. Talk to some really great people like Hayden Kenny down there. Just feeling privileged to look around and go, we live in this clean, healthy, safe environment with good people. I think I've already gone to heaven."

What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?

"Stop and listen."

Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?

"Glenn Ferguson. He's had a very interesting life. He was a copper, he's now a lawyer, and a lot in between. He's also the chair of the Falcons, who came within a sliver of winning the grand final."

Listen To The Podcast

https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity

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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Introduction

(00:00:45) – Chapter 1 | The Brough Emporium: Daisy Hill, An Outside Dunny, And Joining The Army On A Whim

(00:09:58) – Chapter 2 | Hairdressing Products, The GST, A Talkback Call And Going Broke To Win Longman

(00:16:02) – Chapter 3 | The Class Of '96: Pauline Hanson, "You're Only As Good As Your Opposition" And What A Backbencher Can Really Do

(00:33:59) – Chapter 4 | Losing Longman, Winning Fisher, The Ashby–Slipper Affair And The Rise Of The Political Class