ALBANESE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES REVIEW TO RESTORE INTEGRITY IN APPOINTMENTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

05 February 2023

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER
MINISTER FOR FINANCE
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE
SENATOR FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

The Albanese Government is taking steps to restore integrity in public sector board appointments to ensure they are based on merit rather than politics.

At the Chifley 2023 Conference in Canberra this afternoon, Minister Gallagher will announce the review to deliver on the latest piece of the integrity agenda the Albanese Government took to the last election.

The review will be led by Ms Lynelle Briggs AO. Ms Briggs is a former Australian Public Service Commissioner, CEO of Medicare and Commissioner on the Aged Care Royal Commission.

Under Ms Briggs’ leadership, the review will primarily focus on:

Clarifying the role of public sector boards and the skills and standards that are required
Making board recruitment more transparent
How ministers are advised on the selection of board members
Improving the diversity of board membership (including gender, CALD, First Nations, and geographic representation).

Minister Gallagher said that the former government’s approach to political appointments made a mockery of the process and were exploited for political purposes instead of being based on merit.

We know that half of the Productivity Commission’s Board members have a political connection to the Coalition and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal was stacked with appointments with clear Liberal Party links.

“This review is all about putting an end to the jobs for mates culture that defined the previous Morrison Government’s public sector appointments,” Minister Gallagher said.

“Being on a government board should be about what you know, not who you know.”

“I look forward to Ms Briggs’ robust recommendations on how the Government can put merit and integrity back at the centre of the public sector appointment process.”

The Terms of Reference are available on the APS Reform website.

In line with the Government’s commitment to transparency, a report will be published after the review is finalised in mid-2023.

SUNDAY, 05 FEBRUARY 2023