Former ACT Opposition leader turned chocolate shop owner Alistair Coe has a new career - walking the halls of power lobbying politicians.
Mr Coe has joined DPG Advisory Solutions, an influential lobbying group headed by Scott Morrison confidante and ex-Howard government adviser David Gazard.
The former Canberra Liberals leader started in the role in the past month and was spotted in Parliament House on Thursday.
Mr Coe resigned from the ACT Legislative Assembly earlier this year after conceding he'd lost motivation following the Liberals' election defeat in October.
The Canberra Times in May reported Mr Coe's post-politics career had taken a sweet turn, after he bought up Robyn Rowe's renowned chocolate shop near Murrumbateman with wife (and chocolatier) Yasmin.
Mr Coe has now re-entered the world of politics, joining a Canberra-based firm which counts Facebook, Australian National University, Rio Tinto, Wesfarmers, Coles and French-shipbuilder Naval Group among its long list of clients.
Mr Coe's focus will be on federal politics. He is not registered to lobby members of the ACT Legislative Assembly.
Assembly rules place an 18-month ban on former members lobbying on any matter they had "official dealings" on in their final year-and-a-half in office.
While Mr Coe never served in government during his 12 years in ACT politics, he told The Canberra Times he was confident his "political and parliamentary experience" would hold him in good stead in the new career.
He has again ruled out a return to political office.
"I've got absolutely no interest in getting back into politics," he said.
"I enjoyed the 12 years in the ACT Legislative Assembly and it was a great opportunity. It's a new season and new chapter for me and for my family. Whilst it's nice to be able to use that experience and expertise ... I'm quite happy to be out of the chamber."
Mr Gazard, who worked as a media adviser for John Howard and ran as the Liberal candidate in Eden-Monaro at the 2010 federal election, said Mr Coe's parliamentary and political experience in Canberra made him a "perfect fit" for the Barton-based firm.
He will work alongside Scott Morrison's former strategist Sacha Grebe and ex-NSW Liberal Party deputy director Scott Briggs.
