Oz PM's aide 'protected' US source: WikiLeaks
Oz PM's aide 'protected' US source: WikiLeaks
Gillard's speech writer Michael Cooney had been designated a "protected" source by the US embassy in Melbourne.

Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's speech writer has been a confidential source of information for US Embassy officials in the country, local media reported on Thursday citing leaked diplomatic cables.

Gillard's speech writer Michael Cooney had been designated a "protected" source by the US embassy in Melbourne, according to US diplomatic cables released by whistle-blower website WikiLeaks.

Cable 08CANBERRA609, sent on June 13, 2008, revealed that Cooney, a former senior adviser to Labor leaders Mark Latham and Kim Beazley, spoke in glowing terms of his future boss to US officials.

The cable stated that Cooney, speaking before he took up the job with Gillard, told US officials, "She has been very impressive as a minister: knowledgeable on the issues, listens to advice from subordinates and civil servants and is not afraid to delegate responsibility."

'The Australian' daily quoted a spokesman for the Prime Minister as saying, "The government has made it clear that it will not be commenting on the contents or veracity of confidential US cables."

Cooney's comments on Gillard are contained in a cable sent by former US ambassador to Australia Robert MacCallum.

The cable states that "Two stars have emerged in the government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd: Rudd himself and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard."

The cable focused on the prominence Gillard had achieved since Labor won government in November 2007, stating, "Through the first seven months of the Rudd government, Gillard is the only ALP politician who has approached PM Rudd

in national prominence."

In the same section containing Cooney's comments, titled "Gillard the pragmatist", another protected source, NSW Labor aenator and powerbroker Mark Arbib described Gillard as "one of the most pragmatic politicians in the ALP", while Australian Workers Union boss Paul Howes, another protected source, points out that although she is a member of Labor's left faction "she votes with the Right".

Capital Circle understands that Gillard and Cooney developed a good working relationship during the period in which Mark Latham was leader of the ALP.

Cooney kept his job as a senior policy adviser for Beazley when he took over as Labor leader in early 2005, but he stopped working as a federal Labor staffer when Kevin Rudd took over from Beazley, as the pair are said to have had a fractious relationship.

Cooney went to work for left wing think-tank Per Capita, before becoming chief of staff to ACT Education Minister Andrew Barr. From there he launched a bid that ultimately failed to replace former federal MP Annette Ellis when she retired from the seat of Canberra.

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