A scathing report into the Albany government has found that major parties routinely abuse appointments to government boards, leading to public fears of being bogged down with “highly paid political hacks” who cannot perform vital functions properly.
But Labor is set to ditch a series of recommendations from former Public Service Commissioner Lynell Briggs for its long-awaited jobs review – due to finally be released on Tuesday, 18 months after it was completed.
Instead the government unveiled a framework of strong principles designed to promote meritocracy, accountability and transparency in appointments. Labor said it would prioritize expertise, diversity and integrity in the new system.
Briggs, appointed by Labor after winning the 2022 election, found widespread dissatisfaction over the processes used by government departments and ministers in making appointments to nearly 200 boards, warning of concerns about the state of institutions, publicly owned businesses and agencies. The review’s terms of reference prevented Briggs from considering “current appointments or appointment processes relating to specific individuals”.
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When Finance Minister Katy Gallagher announced the review in February 2023 she said it would be “about eliminating jobs for the culture of cronies”.
The report, submitted to Labor in August 2023, said politicization and short-term decision-making had undermined trust in government and created a climate of public unease about the integrity of institutions.
Briggs warned that average people assume all direct appointments by ministers are politically motivated, adding that there are not currently enough checks and balances to enable ministers to balance autonomy with accountability.
The report found that the practice of governments appointing “friends” to board positions, to reward loyalty or promote political preferences, has been common in recent years. “Too often these appointments appear to be forms of patronage and nepotism that should have no place in modern Australian society,” he said.
The report recommends implementing free and competitive recruitment practices with new legislation and consistent regulations. It demands a broad pool of potential candidates with expertise combined with a thorough review of qualifications and public service-style practices to depoliticize decisions.
Briggs said all board appointments should be for a standard four-year term, with individuals barred from serving on more than two paid boards at any time.
He critically recommended that former politicians and staff be barred from government board appointments for six months after leaving government, extended to 18 months for former ministers and their staff.
Appointments should not be allowed until six months before the last possible date of a federal election, unless a strict process is followed to prevent “last minute bequests”.
Briggs said these appointments often involved staffers, former politicians, their supporters and friends appointed just before the election, “with little regard for the consequences”.
“Such bequests in the final days of government are shameless; widely disliked by the public; and bring governments into disrepute,” the report said.
But Labor will not accept many of the recommendations, opting instead for major changes to the government-wide framework to ensure fair appointments.
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Due to come into force in February, the new rules will apply to all appointments to Commonwealth public offices, including departmental secretaries, agency heads, statutory office holders and government board positions.
Appointments must demonstrate competency, transparency and accountability under the changes, including written selection criteria.
Individuals selected should reflect the breadth of the Australian community, and follow the recommendations of the independent panel as far as possible, based on the advice of the Department.
Labor has faced criticism for its slow response to the Briggs report, which escalated to such an extent last month that the government lost control of the Senate and fought with crossbenchers and Coalition members trying to access the document.
Gallagher committed to releasing the Briggs report before the end of the year and offered private briefings to senators.
Gallagher said the new framework would give the public the highest possible confidence in integrity and transparency in public sector appointments.
“We took the time to get it right,” she said. “We listened to stakeholders and have developed a framework that will serve the Australian community for years to come.
“We want to make the best appointments in the national interest with an emphasis on merit, diversity, accountability and this new framework delivers this.”
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