In one of its final acts before calling an election and entering caretaker mode, the Morrison government has made a flurry of appointments to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), several of whom have links to the Liberal Party.
Michael Mischin, an attorney-general in Colin Barnett’s Western Australian Liberal government, has been appointed deputy president of the AAT by Attorney-General Michaelia Cash.
He’s joined by Pru Goward as a senior member, a former minister for family and community services in the Berejiklian government, and a NSW Liberal member of the legislative assembly (MLA) for more than a decade. More recently, Goward achieved online notoriety for a column in The Australian Financial Review about the “underclass”, whom she described as “proles” who are “damaged and lacking in discipline”.
Ann Duffield, a former chief of staff to both Prime Minister Scott Morrison (during his time as immigration minister) and Philip Ruddock, has been promoted to senior member. She’s currently an engagement executive at Liberal-linked DPG Advisory Solutions, run by Morrison friends David Gazard and Scott Briggs. According to a 2019 investigation by Crikey, Duffield, who was appointed by former attorney-general George Brandis in 2016, has no known legal qualifications.
Other appointments include Cheryl Cartwright, a director at Liberal-aligned PR shop Barton Deakin, who worked for former Nationals leader Warren Truss and former foreign minister Alexander Downer. Kate Chapple, a senior advisor in Foreign Minister Marise Payne’s office, got the nod, who has also worked for Government Services Minister Linda Reynolds.
Peter Katsambanis, another appointee, was a Western Australian state Liberal MP in both upper and lower houses. Like Mischin, he lost his seat during Premier Mark McGowan’s landslide election victory last year. Brygyda Maiden, also appointed, was involved with the Young Liberals, receiving a special shoutout from Victorian Liberal MP Bridget Vallence in her inaugural speech.
The government also promoted or extended terms for a number of members with Liberal ties, including former candidate Denis Dragovic, Sydney University Liberal Club life member Justin Owen, former Cash advisor Antoinette Younes, former Liberal senator Karen Synon, former Eric Abetz advisor Donald Morris, former candidate Rachel Westaway, and former Victorian upper house MP Donna Petrovich.
Graham “Gray” Connolly, a barrister and prominent conservative commentator, also got an appointment.
The Coalition has form when it comes to stacking the AAT. Before the latest round of appointments, at least 79 people with Liberal ties had been appointed to the Tribunal. A 2019 Crikey series found that while in office, the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments had replaced 70% of AAT members with its own members. Most appointments, like this round, are rammed through right on the eve of an election announcement.
Selection processes are notoriously opaque, and salaries are big. Members are paid between $193,990 and $249,420, with senior members on $329,930 to $391,940, and a deputy president earning $496,560.
Cash’s other recent high-profile appointment, Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay, also has close ties with the Liberal Party.
Ahead of the 2019 election, the Morrison government also made numerous appointments to government bodies, with analysis by The Guardian finding 20% had Coalition links. In addition to the AAT, there have been several other appointments by the government. Yesterday, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher appointed Don Harwin, a former minister in the Berejiklian government, to the Australia Council Board.
The AAT is now primarily a very expensive source of sinecures for far too many Liberal failures and rejects. It is so thoroughly corrupted it must be abolished with all its members made redundant so it can be replaced by a properly constituted body to take over its functions with members who are all demonstrably competent, qualified and independent.
For this act alone . . . there must be a change of Government. The Attorney General Michaelia Cash recorded for her total denial of her Office and related responsibilities.
Agreed, it’s appalling and shameless in two ways. First, clearly partisan patronage being used, in which merit plays little part. Second, corruption of rule of law. The AAT makes lots of important decisions that affect the lives of ordinary people, often seeking redress from unjust treatment by government. Stacking it with politicals and ideological warriors is a recipe for poor outcomes in terms of fairness. Examinations of how hard these political appointees work compared to the professional members as a whole would also likely be unflattering.
You are correct Ratty, the best approach would be a restructure, in tandem with the creation of anti-corruption commission. All positions spilled and new appointments from now on to be made by transparent competitive procedure, not gifting by the minister.
Finally, this is just another example showing that if this government has an opportunity to rort then it will.
Re my question about how hard these political favourites work
”is notable that 17 per cent of AAT members with political affiliations were under their performance targets in 2021, compared to 9 per cent of non-political appointees.” https://www.theage.com.au/national/giving-cushy-jobs-to-political-fellow-travellers-looks-and-smells-like-cronyism-20220405-p5aaxy.html
This makes sense – selection criteria, an independent recruiting/ selection body, an expectation for continuous professional development, and a regular (2-3 yearly-dated from initial employment) transparent review of performance, leading to dismissal if underperforming and not meeting benchmarks.
The stench of corruption that now comes from the Liberal party is now so overwhelming the appointment of jobs and contracts for mates, party hacks and donors is just another blatant move by Morrison to ensure that he and the rest of the most corrupt mob ever will not have to rely on their more than generous pensions and perks after they leave politics. It beggars belief. The question is does the Labor party have the guts to change the system when they are elected in May. One can only hope.
So blatant they don’t even care how bad it looks. True to form for this government for mates and self interest. It is right in your face and unsurprising.
If Australia has had a more unethical and straight-out corrupt government than Morrison’s then I don’t recall it and I go back to Menzies
They already had a go, now they’re getting another go.
What I find intriguing is that all these people argue for smaller government and yet they wall want to be employed by the government.
Just seems a bit hypocritical, but what would I know.
Hey Australia, here’s proof you can lack talent & still score successful employment.
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