The SAS Group was founded in 2009 as a cross-partisan advocacy firm, to give certainty and consistency to our clients in their engagement efforts as political tides come and go. In the 13 years since then, we’ve demonstrated the success of this model, across six Prime Ministers (three each from Labor and the Coalition) and multiple Labor and Liberal Premiers in various states.
As the new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said today (echoing both Paul Keating and John Howard), when you change the government you change the country. The changes to come in the months and years ahead may bring opportunities for you and your business, or they may bring challenges. Either way, the SAS Group will be here to support you.
We believe we have the most capable and respected Labor engagement team in the nation.
- Director Hon Bernie Ripoll – former Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer and Federal Member for Oxley
- Associate Director Shayne Sutton – former Brisbane City Councillor and Opposition Leader
- Senior Consultant Nino Lalic – former policy adviser to Federal ministers and MPs, and two Queensland Labor Premiers
- Senior Consultant Winston Harris – former Federal Ministerial Chief of Staff and adviser
- Senior Consultant Andrew Soter – Extensive experience in State and Federal parliamentary systems
| Nino Lalic with client Rachelle St Ledger and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese | Labor's Matt Thistlewaite MP and Hon Bernie Ripoll |
| Nino Lalic, Labor Front Bencher Michelle Rowland MP and Shayne Sutton | Shayne Sutton, Nino Lalic, Labor Front Bencher Tony Burke MP and Hon Bernie Ripoll |
Together, the SAS Group’s Federal Government Engagement Team have more than 80 years’ experience in and around Labor politics. They know the key players, they know the issues, and they are expertly positioned to advise and support you in managing both challenges and opportunities.
In a changing nation, the SAS Group is your trusted adviser on Federal Government engagement.