‘Labor mates’: Ombudsman asked to probe ‘political’ board appointments
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Victoria’s Ombudsman is being urged to investigate an alleged jobs-for-mates culture in the Andrews government after former cabinet minister Martin Foley was this week appointed to his second public chairmanship.
Foley, who was health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic, was appointed chair of Alfred Health in July. This week he began as chair of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation, a role that could attract a six-figure taxpayer-funded salary.
Martin Foley in June 2020 in his then role as mental health minister, with Premier Daniel Andrews.Credit: Joe Armao
Shadow minister of state David Davis wrote to Ombudsman Deborah Glass on Friday to argue there was an emerging trend of “people with a political affiliation” being appointed as directors and chairs of Victorian public entities. Glass is currently investigating the politicisation of the Victorian public service.
“We therefore respectfully request that the scope of your [ongoing] investigation into the politicisation of the public service be expanded,” Davis wrote.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto said the government giving taxpayer-funded jobs to “Labor mates” was not how Victoria should be run.
“Hardworking Victorians deserve to know on what basis these important appointments are made and that they are not gifts from the premier to his political allies,” he said.
Foley and the Ombudsman’s office were contacted for comment.
A 2022 analysis found that 12 per cent of plum board roles in Victoria were held by political appointees, according to the centrist Grattan Institute, and that most of those appointees had ties to Labor.
Since that analysis was done, Foley and his former cabinet colleague, Lisa Neville, were appointed to health boards and former Brumby government minister Bob Cameron was announced as chair of WorkSafe Victoria.
The Age does not suggest the appointments weren’t made on merit, only that the appointees have links to the Labor Party.
Grattan Institute chief executive Danielle Wood said more could be done in Victoria to boost the transparency around public boards, including more thorough advertising of vacant positions.
“We recommended that all these significant roles be advertised, that they be looked at by a panel which includes senior public servants – probably the public service commissioner – and that a merit list be prepared by that panel,” she said. “Then the relevant minister and then cabinet for a decision.
“The point is [the public is] worried about any type of appointment that favours a mate. The purpose should be that merit is front and centre in decisions.”
Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday defended his former colleague’s appointment, arguing it was subject to the usual cabinet process and pointing out Foley was also a former arts minister.
The premier also used question time to suggest cabinet would soon appoint a former Liberal minister, who served under premiers Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine, to a public board.
“We’ll wait to see how many other people … will remain being appointed on merit as the year unfolds,” Andrews said.
A government spokeswoman said: “There have been over 14,400 board appointments since 2014 – each selected on merit and the basis of their diverse backgrounds, gender and ethnicity to ensure our boards reflect the Victorian community.”
The Ombudsman’s public service probe is due to be published later this year or during the first quarter of 2024.
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