Queensland vowed to update board job processes in 2022. It still hasn’t

Queensland is still yet to complete a whole-of-government update to its appointment process for major board roles more than three years after a critical watchdog report.

In an update published by the Queensland Audit Office this month, the agency said the key recommendation of its 2022 report was still only “partially implemented”.

“The Department of the Premier and Cabinet is briefing government on the revised welcome aboard materials and appointment guidelines, and is seeking approval to progress these in mid-2025,” the report noted.

The department’s initial timeframe for implementation was by October 2023.

Relevant government websites do not appear to have been updated so far this year.

The 2022 audit office report noted the state government risked a perception it was appointing board members on a “who you know, not what you know” basis, by failing to advertise positions.

Tabled during the Palaszczuk government, the report found the approach taken by Queensland Treasury, in particular, relied “heavily on using the networks of the department and the minister [Cameron Dick] to identify preferred candidates”.

Departments were also found to be not consulting boards for skill gaps before recruiting, or thoroughly checking academic qualifications or conflicts of interest.

While NSW and Victorian governments required departments to publicly advertise vacancies and use panels to assess candidates against criteria, the report noted Queensland did not – even though three of the four departments audited were doing so.

Brendan Worrall, auditor-general at the time, recommended the then-Palaszczuk government overhaul its 12-year-old guidance to departments managing such recruitment.

Accepted by Department of Premier and Cabinet director-general Rachel Hunter, the key call was for the department and cabinet to lead development of a “whole-of-government” framework.

This would align the state’s 50 most significant boards with “better practice” as described by the ASC Corporate Governance Council and Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Such a framework would require departments to request that boards complete a “formal skills matrix” to inform performance evaluation, succession planning and vacancy needs.

It would also require performance evaluation before reappointments, advice on whether a long tenure has affected a member’s independence, and “advice to ministers and departments” on the benefits of improving transparency and the pool of applicants, “by publicly advertising vacancies”.

The so-called large boards, including those of government-owned corporations, health services, a number of statutory bodies and other groups, at the time carried responsibility for more than $266 billion in assets.

This masthead sought further detail of the recommendation’s status from the department, and received a response from a government spokesperson that updated appointment guidance was “under consideration”.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles was also contacted for comment.

The government has largely declined to comment on calls to reform board appointment processes after an investigation by this masthead last week.

In the year since the Crisafulli government’s election, it has updated the membership of 115 of its 320 boards but only announced one-third of these with a ministerial release.

This masthead also found 20 appointees were former LNP or Liberal politicians, candidates or party executive members – including 10 whose appointments were previously unreported.

The actions have prompted concern from ex-board members and a previous conservative premier, amid calls to reform the processes wielded by both major parties in power.

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