Lynelle Briggs’ ‘jobs for mates’ report: Review finds widespread favouritism, nepotism in public roles

A scathing review of government appointments says favouritism, patronage and nepotism are widespread and should be ended to help restore public trust — but the Government has ignored its key recommendations.

It has prompted integrity experts to warn the Government’s answer will do nothing to end the “jobs for mates” problem.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher released the review into appointment processes by Lynelle Briggs on Tuesday, more than two years after the former public service watchdog handed it to her in August 2023.

The 108-page report, titled No Favourites, found both the Coalition and Labor had been guilty of putting their people on boards, echoing practices “throughout history (where) rulers have appointed their friends and loyalists to powerful positions”.

The Labor Government commissioned the review after complaining during the 2022 election about the widespread “jobs for mates” practices of their Coalition predecessors.

While Ms Briggs didn’t single out specific appointments, the Grattan Institute has previously found Coalition political appointees to bodies like the now-defunct Administrative Appeals Tribunal reached as many as one in five.

Labor has given jobs to more than two dozen former MPs, candidates and staffers since taking office.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denied last month, as he announced former SA Premier Jay Weatherill as the next UK High Commissioner, that this was why his Cabinet had sat on the Briggs report.

Centre for Public Integrity executive director Catherine Williams said there had been “abundant reason to establish” the review and it was disappointing the Government wasn’t heeding it.

“We have a situation where the government has acknowledged a problem exists, where vulnerability exists from an integrity perspective, they have been told how to fix it, and they are not prepared to take up the solutions,” she told The Nightly.

“The reality is it’s not going to fix the jobs for mates problem, because what you need to fix the jobs for mates problem is what Lynelle Briggs set out in her report.”

Ms Briggs found existing arrangements were not fit for purpose, not transparent, and out of step with other Western democracies.

“Too often the practice in recent years has been to appoint friends of the Government to boards, either as a reward for past loyalty or to ensure alignment with government priorities and 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.

While “political” appointments only made up about 7 per cent of all government board positions, up to half of the appointments in some portfolios were made directly by the minister.

The result was a public perception that any person appointed directly by minister must be a friend, regardless of the reality.

Ms Briggs proposed a 10-step appointment process, with public advertising of positions and a full selection panel system, be enshrined in legislation.

No direct ministerial appointments should be made in the six months before an election, and politicians and staffers should be barred from being given jobs six months after they left political employment, or 18 months for ministerial portfolios.

Ms Briggs said departmental secretaries “strongly endorse these reforms” which would ensure “that the best people available will be found for government jobs and that old systems of favouritism, patronage and ‘jobs for the boys’ will no longer be widespread”.

The Government has responded with an unlegislated “appointments framework” that aims “to support ministers to make the best possible merit-based appointments in the interests of good government and delivering positive outcomes for the Australian community”.

It lays out seven principles for appointments to government roles, starting with ministers seeking to make the best possible choices on the basis of merit.

However, it doesn’t place any restrictions on the employment of former politicians or staffers nor does it mandate the use of assessment or interview panels.

Dr Williams said the framework was an improvement on the previous guidelines, but overall wasn’t good enough to tackle the issues.

“It’s a small step compared to the monumental step that could have been taken, that is open to them to take, by adopting the Briggs recommendations in full,” she said.

Senator Gallagher said the framework delivered on Australians’ expectations for the highest standards of integrity and transparency in public sector appointments.

“We took the time to get this right. We listened to stakeholders, and have designed a framework that will serve the Australian community for years to come,” she said.

“This framework is about making sure appointments are made on merit, with transparency and accountability at every step. We are committed to upholding integrity and ensuring our public sector reflects the diversity of the people we represent.”

Independent senator David Pocock said it was now clear “why the Albanese Government was hiding (the review) for two years” and very disappointing that Cabinet had refused to accept all its recommendations.

“It is no surprise there is such low trust in politicians. Communities constantly call for more integrity but are ignored,” he said.