If party loyalists are parachuted into bureaucratic positions, we are not getting the most qualified or capable people for the job
The Barilaro incident is symptomatic of a broader malaise in government. On Monday,that revealed that one in five prestigious and well-paid federal government board positions have been handed to politically connected individuals. This included 22% of the 320 members of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which is an essential check on government decision-making.
However, if party loyalists are parachuted into bureaucratic positions, this supplants appointments based on merit. This means that we are not getting the most qualified or capable people for the job. Similarly, in the UK, the public appointments commissioner seeks to ensure that appointments by ministers to the boards of public bodies are made in accordance with the government’s principles of public appointments and governance code. The commissioner’s statutory activities include conducting audits, holding investigations, considering complaints and acting as an advocate for diversity.