Bill
Transparent and Quality Public Appointments Bill 2023
lapsed, as at 2023-09-12.
- Sponsor
- Sophie Scamps
- Portfolio
- Not recorded
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2023-03-06
- second reading — 2023-03-06
- other — 2023-09-12
Divisions
No divisions recorded. Most questions are decided on the voices; this does not establish that a bill was unopposed.
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2023-03-06.
The bill would set up a new process for filling senior federal public roles to make them more open and trustworthy.
It would create a Public Appointments Commissioner and Independent Selection Panels that advertise vacancies, interview candidates and send a shortlist to the minister.
The panels must shortlist at least three people, advertise for 10 business days in three places, and consider diversity when assessing candidates.
- Establishes Independent Selection Panels in each department, chaired by the Public Appointments Commissioner and including the department secretary.
- Requires the minister to table a certification statement for most appointments within seven days.
- Creates extra rules for significant integrity officer appointments, including a former superior court judge on the panel and a parliamentary committee report before appointment.
- Sets up a Parliamentary Joint Committee on Appointments that cannot have more than half government members and must have a non-government chair.
- Lets the commissioner issue guidelines and report annually on appointment processes.
- Allows the minister to choose any candidate from the panel's shortlist, but not someone the panel did not shortlist.
All major Commonwealth public appointments made by ministers, including those to significant integrity officer roles.
Sources
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