He briefly served as Assistant Treasurer in the Howard government in 1996, and after leaving politics worked at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and as Australia's special envoy to Cyprus.
His father was a public servant who initially worked as a surveyor but was seconded to the Manpower Directorate on the outbreak of World War II.
[1] After leaving high school Short took up a cadetship with the Commonwealth Public Service, studying part-time at the University of Melbourne while undergoing management training at the Postmaster-General's Department.
He then spent three years as a Treasury representative in London before returning to Australia and becoming assistant secretary of the overseas economic relations division.
He was later seconded to the Australian Industry Development Corporation as deputy general manager before returning to the Treasury as assistant secretary of the foreign investment division.