Scathing ‘jobs for mates’ review finds appointments to government boards routinely abused | Australian politics

Major parties have so routinely misused appointments to government boards that the public fears being lumped in with “overpaid political hacks” who cannot do important work properly, according to a scathing report sent to the Albanian government.

But Labor is set to sidestep a set of proposals submitted by former civil service commissioner Lynelle Briggs for a long-awaited peer review – due to be finally published on Tuesday, 18 months after it was completed.

Instead the government announced a frame Strengthened principles designed to promote merit, 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 with the processes used by government departments and ministers to make appointments to nearly 200 boards, and warned of concerns about the state of agencies, state-owned businesses and institutions. The review’s terms of reference prevented Briggs from taking into account “existing 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 ending the bro culture”.

The report, delivered to the Labor Party in August 2023, states that politicization and short-term decision-making reduce trust in the government and foster an environment of public unrest about the integrity of institutions.

Briggs warned that average people believed all direct appointments by ministers were politically motivated, and noted that there were currently insufficient powers and balance mechanisms to enable ministers to balance autonomy with accountability.

In recent years, it has emerged as a common practice for governments to appoint “friends” to board positions, rewarding loyalty or promoting political priorities, the report said. “These appointments often resemble forms of patronage and nepotism that should have no place in modern Australian society,” he said.

The report recommends introducing independent and competitive recruitment practices through new legislation and consistent rules. A larger pool of potential candidates with expertise is needed, along with comprehensive reviews of merit and civil service-style practices to depoliticize decisions.

Briggs said all board appointments must be for a standard four-year term, with individuals prohibited from serving on more than two paid boards at any one time.

He critically recommended that former politicians and staff be barred from government board appointments for six months after leaving government, and that this period be extended to 18 months for former ministers and their staff.

Appointments should not be allowed during the six months before the last possible date for a federal election unless a strict process is followed that stops “last-minute inheritances”.

Briggs said these appointments were often made by staff, former politicians, their supporters and friends just before elections “with little regard for the consequences”.

“Such legacies in the final days of a government are shameless; they are not welcomed by the public and bring discredit to governments,” the report said.

But Labor will not accept most of the recommendations, opting instead for a major overhaul of the government-wide framework to ensure suitable appointments.

The new rules, which will come into force from February, will apply to all appointments in state public offices, including ministerial secretaries, heads of departments, statutory office holders and government board positions.

Appointments must demonstrate merit, transparency and accountability according to amendments, including written selection criteria.

Those selected should reflect the breadth of the Australian community, be based on the department’s advice and, wherever possible, follow the advice of independent panels.

Labor faced criticism for its slow response to the Briggs report; This criticism escalated to the point last month that the government lost control of the Senate and fought with crossbenchers and Coalition members trying to access the document.

Gallagher has 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 the integrity and transparency of public sector appointments.

“We took the time to fix this,” he said. “We listened to stakeholders and designed 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 and accountability, and this new framework delivers that.”