Current controversy over the appointment of Geoffrey Cousins to the Telstra Board echoes controversies over many other Board appointments. We've had Professor Harper's appointment to the Fair Pay Commission, numerous political appointments to the ABC Board, energy company executives appointed to the CSIRO Board, the appointment of a senior adviser to the Employment Minister as a Federal Magistrate, the appointment of former Victorian Liberal MP Mark Birrell to the Australia Post Board, and Mr Gerard's appointment to the Reserve Bank Board. Those controversies emphasise the importance of scrutiny of important public appointments.
As ex-Minister of Communications Senator Alston said of similar ABC appointments when Opposition Spokesperson,
"This blatant board stacking exercise endangers the independence and integrity of the ABC and has the potential to do grave danger to Australia's international reputation."
One noteworthy aspect of Coalition appointments to the ABC Board is that the appointees' political affiliations have never been publicly acknowledged - or disclosed, where they aren't public knowledge - by the current Minister, Senator Coonan, or her predecessor, Senator Alston.
Had the method of Board appointment long sought by the Friends of the ABC been used more widely, none of the above would have been such an issue. Their appointments would have been subject to satisfying a rigorous and objective selection process.
The ALP has produced its Better Boards Policy[1], while the U.K. has its Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments[2] (not just to Boards). Applicants are objectively examined according to both their qualifications for the position and for their commitment to the seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
It is long past time that Senator Coonan and John Howard accepted their responsibility to introduce integrity both in appointments to the ABC Board and regarding Ministerial appointments generally.
[1] http://www.fecca.org.au/policy/2004%20policies/ALP%20abc%20policy.pdf