http://www.news.com.au/national-news/federal-election/prime-minister-kevin-rudd8...

LABOR'S leadership brawls and recent turmoil will cost taxpayers an estimated $5 million-plus in termination payouts to ministerial staff.
A News Limited investigation can also reveal a number of senior advisers - dumped after March's aborted leadership coup - have been re-employed despite receiving generous "severance'' payouts just a few months ago.

Finance documents reveal 77 ministerial staff were paid $2.62 million in payouts between July 2011 and May 2013 - including eight staff on the payroll of Treasurer Chris Bowen, who resigned from the frontbench in March.

But that number - and the cost to taxpayers - will spiral with many staff who worked for Julia Gillard, Wayne Swan and other former ministers also heading for the exit door.

The large staff turnover - and termination payments - came during a tumultuous 22-month period for Labor where Julia Gillard's leadership was nearly always the subject of ongoing speculation.

The highest individual payout to a former ministerial adviser was $89,440 paid to a former chief of staff to a frontbencher while one assistant adviser received $87,330.

Two other chiefs of staff were also generously remunerated, receiving $83,627 and $82,799 as Labor's leadership feuds triggered high staff turnover.

The Prime Minister had four staff who received termination payouts - most of them following his resignation from the ministry after his first leadership tilt in February 2012.

Former Senate leader and immigration minister Chris Evans had the largest number of staff payouts - 11 - between July 2011 and May.

This was followed closely by the new Treasurer Chris Bowen, who resigned from the frontbench in March following Simon Crean's aborted leadership coup.

Mr Bowen's chief of staff received a payout of $57,890.25.

He has now been re-employed in the position and is understood to be in negotiations as to whether he needs to pay back some of the money.

One of Mr Bowen's senior media advisers also received a payout of $43,068.47 and has been re-employed following the Rudd return.

Special Minister of State Mark Dreyfus said yesterday: "Where a staff member chooses to take a severance payment they cannot return to the MOPS Act employment within the severance pay period without refunding the balance of their payment".

Mark Arbib, who resigned in March 2012, shortly after Kevin Rudd's first unsuccessful challenge, had seven staff who received payouts.

South Australian frontbencher Mark Butler, one of a number of key defections from Ms Gillard to Mr Rudd in last week's coup, had four ex-staff paid out, while former Attorney-General Nicola Roxon had three staff receive payments.

The ex-Prime Minister had around 50 personal staff and while several - including her chief media secretary - will stay onto work with Kevin Rudd and his ministerial team, most will instead resign and take the termination payment.

Former Defence Minister Stephen Smith, former Climate Change Minister Greg Combet and ex-Communications Minister Stephen Conroy all had 13 personal staff while ex-Education Minister Peter Garrett and one-time Trade Minister Craig Emerson each had 11 on their payroll.

Former Deputy Prime Minister had 21 staff, most of which are expected to leave.

Some staffers have nominated into a pool where new frontbenchers are being forced to draw from before they externally hire.

Labor staffers can also expect to receive an additional four week termination payout if the Government loses the election.

The final settling out period for the 136 staff employed by Ms Gillard and other former ministers won't be known until the end of the month, Government sources said.

In addition to the severance payments the change of leadership from Julia Gillard to Kevin Rudd could cost the taxpayer in excess of $10 million.

Political marketing expert with the Australian National University Andrew Hughes said costs such as campaign staff turnover, the redoing of advertising and loss of donations would result in a hefty bill.

"The cost of changing leaders would easily hit the $10 million mark," he said.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the cost of changing leaders had not yet been calculated.

"Staffing arrangements are currently being worked through," Mr Dreyfus's spokeswoman said.

"Until these arrangements are settled, we are not in a position to estimate cost."

It's alll okkkkk.  Things will be better.