Lynelle Briggs’ 'jobs for mates' report: Apparent nepotism uncovered on both sides of political divide

Governments of both persuasions have too often appointed friends to cushy board roles in recent years, evoking perceptions of nepotism and eroding public trust, a damning report has found.

The long-awaited review by former public service commissioner Lynelle Briggs, which the government had sat on for two years before releasing it on Tuesday, recommended an end to politicised appointments and a move to an independent, merit-based process.

But the government snubbed the report’s 30 recommendations, instead releasing a seven-point framework which reinforces that ministers “have flexibility to implement selection processes suitable for sourcing the best candidates for appointments within their portfolio”.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher accused the former Coalition government of overseeing a “jobs for mates” culture when she announced the review to strengthen the integrity of appointments in 2023.

The review found both the Coalition and Labor have been guilty of appointing friends of the government to boards, “either as a reward for past loyalty or to ensure alignment with government priorities”.

“All too often these appointments have looked like forms of patronage and nepotism that should have no place in the modern Australian society,” Ms Briggs wrote.

She found that even though only six to seven per cent of all board appointments could be described as political, as many as half were direct appointments by the minister.

That raised the perception among the public that all ministerial appointments were political and “contributed to a climate where public trust in government has been undermined”.

“In and of itself, that is a cause for concern in our Westminster system of government,” Ms Briggs said.

She recommended putting the appointment process at arms length of ministers by legislating consistent, independent standards for recruitment.

Politicians and staffers should be banned from being appointed within six months of leaving government positions and ministers should not be allowed from making direct appointments six months before an election, she advocated.

The extent to which ministers “gifted” positions to loyal followers in the dying days of a government was “shameless”, widely frowned upon by the public and brought governments into disrepute.

Industry Minister Tim Ayres denied that Labor had handed jobs to mates.

“We have made appointments in the national interest,” he told ABC Radio National.

“Of course, we’re focused on the purpose of the organisations and the appointments that we make. We’re shaping our approach to these issues, of course.

“But these are good appointments, they’ve been made in the national interest, they’ve all been made following the proper processes.”