Cormann’s opponents underestimated his political instincts and extensive international political network developed from his time in cabinet. They also did not see the intense effort underway behind the scenes to secure victory.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade rolled out a campaign strategy that delivered results. Morrison phoned dozens of world leaders and his ministers also lobbied their counterparts. Ambassadors in key countries met with senior officials to push the case. And Cormann himself conducted a face-to-face lobbying blitz around Europe, South America, North America and Asia.
The use of Royal Australian Air Force jet for some parts of the trip caused some anger with some Australians and tested Labor’s support for Cormann’s bid, but the in-person meetings clearly made a difference. It’s worth noting that Greece, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Estonia, Denmark, Poland, the United States, Sweden and Canada also funded the campaigns of their own candidates. The Australian government should now be transparent about how much our bid cost and make the case for why the expenditure was worth it.
Cormann will start his five-year term on June 1 but secretaries-general are usually hard to dislodge once they get behind the desk in Paris. Cormann’s predecessor Angel Gurria will have spent 15 years in the job and Canadian Donald Johnston and France’s Jean-Claude Paye each served 10 years before that.
