I'll start.
Brendan O'Connor (ALP) vs Bruce Billson (Libs.)
Brendan O'Connor
Qualifications BA, LLB (Monash); Diploma in Industrial Relations (Harvard)
He was educated in Ireland and Australia, taking degrees in Arts and Law at Monash University. In 1995, he participated in the Harvard Trade Union Program at Harvard Law School, Harvard University.
He firstly began his union career as an organiser with the now defunct Municipal Employees Union of Victoria. And then he was Assistant National Secretary with the Australian Services Union before entering politics.
Former Occupations Union Official, 1986 - 2001.
Business experience. NONE
Bruce Billson
Qualifications BBus (RMIT); Graduate Diploma of Management (RMIT)
Bruce has a Masters degree in Business Leadership, and a post-graduate Management Diploma and Bachelor of Business from RMIT University. He also won the 1992 RMIT/MAV Local Government Law Prize and qualified as a Municipal Clerk.
As a former small business owner with his wife Kate, Bruce is also extremely active in assisting small businesses in outer metropolitan economies and in the provision of key infrastructure to support local development.
Former Occupations Manager, Corporate Development, Shire of Hastings 1993-94; Ministerial Adviser to the Victorian Minister for Natural Resources, the Hon. C.G. Coleman, MLA (Vic) 1994-96; Policy Adviser to the Federal Shadow Minister for the Environment, Senator C.R. Kemp 1995
Who is most qualified to run the small business portfolio of Australia?
