The Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff David Epstein has resigned and will be replaced by young gun Alister Jordan.
Epstein had been a very successful consultant prior to being tapped for running Rudd’s office when he was Opposition Leader.
The timing of the departure is a big surprise although it has been widely known that Epstein did not consider running the Prime Minister’s office a long term opportunity for him. He will not be accepting an appointment within the Australian government.
Around twenty-eight years old, the new Chief, Alister Jordan emerges as possibly the most powerful twenty something in the history of the Commonwealth of Australia.
VEXNEWS (Archive) 
Nothing on this on The Australian site or ABC as at 5.40pm
Another VexNews scoop!
This was the first after VexNews.
I support Alistair’s appointment.
Kevin Rudd’s chief of staff quits
Article from: AAP
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October 10, 2008 05:42pm
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd’s chief of staff has quit and will take on a job outside Government.
“The Prime Minister’s chief of staff David Epstein today tendered his resignation with the intention of taking up a new role outside the Australian Government in the new year,” a statement from Mr Rudd’s office said.
More to come
Love it. Go Doogie.
Jordan’s previous employer: Ronan Lee, now a Greens MP. haha
With the announcement that David Epstein has quit as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister and that his replacement will be 29 year old Alistair Jordan, I have to admit I feel a bit uneasy of this particular prospect.
I do not know Mr Jordan personally, but I think it is safe to say that this is an incorrect decision on the part of Kevin Rudd. Mr Jordan may have bucket loads of political talent, but he is 29, and has been in government for 11 months. Surely this is a somewhat premature appointment! As deputy, he served under the older and wiser David Epstein, who has experience working from in the Keating Government.
I do not mean to undermine Mr Rudd’s judgment, or the Office of the Prime Minister, nor do I doubt Mr Jordan’s value to the Rudd team, but what has this country come to when it is run by a 29 year old who impressed Opposition Leader Rudd over coffee one day shortly after he assumed the leadership?
This position has enormous responsibility. Previous CoS Arthur Sinodinos was named the most powerful person in Australia. The CoS has extraordinary influence in the Australian political structure and on the world stage. This has to be reconsidered. A possible alternative could be to install a provisional appointee until a transition to Mr Jordan is appropriate at a later date.
Epstein had a massive conflict as a previous shareholder, director and employee of lobbyist GRA.
Hi wife is now GRA’s senior Canberra lobbyist – acting for big oil, big tobacco and other unsavoury types.
This brought almost every decision by the rudd government into question.
He had to go, because it’s not a good look for Rudd to get his wife fired…
Does this change mean there will be more waffle from Kevvie, or less? This past week, during the financial meltdown, Kev has been like the boy in Holland trying to stop the flood with his fingers. Even a PM only has ten. Maybe the new prattlebox will help.
Hmmp! Another child with too much clout in a position of power. Rudd should have learnt from the mistakes of his NSW colleagues. Kids are great for doing the shit jobs, not so good for doing important things. Rudd aint so smart afterall.
But what about the Joe Six Packs?? When do they get a turn??
Joe Six Pack? Excellent.
—> Gulp <—
Deep breaths – how in the world can a 29 year old without any real-world experience possibly become the principal adviser to the PM? We should all be very worried but not as worried as KRudd as his credibility and possibility of re-election continues to unravel.
I have heard it all now, Annie Peacock & Lesley Twentyman on the double ticket for Lord Mayor.
Christ on one side you have a stuck up, thick tart the other an obese alcoholic who has an ‘interest’ in youth affairs.
Don’t vote for changes to the Constitution tomorrow!
Vote for the changes to the Constitution tomorrow.
Having met the new CoS I have the confidence that he will step up to the task. He will perform well.
The other blog is debating real issues for a change. There is serious content, not just a catfight between Cait Catt, Rita Randles, Catter8 and the owner of the other blog. Much of the content is admittedly plagiarised from Vexnews, and we can all be delighted at that, but it is real content, not just how filthy the owner of the other blog really is.
We are not learning facts about he visit to a Canberra prostitute by a former Whitehorse Mayor. We are learning facts about the PMs office, facts we never knew about before, and it is a great compliment to Vexnews, the best source of news on the net, that the readership of the other blog is now taking this site seriously.
Is that Peter Allan you are referring to Mr Jones?
I like older men. Much, much older men.
Victory is mine!
I have defeated the combined foces# of Inga Binga and Sir Daryl.
# The term “forces” is used in a most generous fashion.
Krudd 08 is chock full of youngsters coming to grips with the levers of Gummit. that’s what you get after 12 years in opposition. it’s generational change, and Jordan’s up there with the best and brightest.
he worked well for Kevin in Opposition, particularly the forensic take-downs in the AWB scandal, and Rudd’s no dill. if he reckons Alister’s up to being CoS, he probably is.
Hmmmm… Let’s put out a very badly worded press release at 5:30pm on a Friday afternoon so those pesky scribes dont have a chance to ask any probing questions…
blind leading the blind still…
Rudd is now gone – out of touch. And Alister Jordan should wear much of the blame.
Alister Jordan’s inflated sense of himself was the last straw for too many ALP backbenchers.
Jordan’s ego was always over inflated, was a tool of Michael Danby’s Israel lobby (which means he has no ideology whatsoever), and made no effort to understand the importance of union solidarity in forging a better Australia.