The Government is committed to improving arrangements for appointments to Government boards and committees in accordance with the principles of independence and merit in selections and appointments to these public bodies.

The establishment of the Public Employment Office (PEO) with a charter to ensure merit, integrity and independence in selection and appointment matters, allows my administration to provide further assistance to Ministers in identifying suitable people for appointment to Government boards and committees.

In accordance with these policy directions, e3dting procedures for selection and appointment to Government boards and committees have been reviewed and the following new arrangements now apply:

(1) All proposed appointments and re-appointments to Government boards and committees are to be referred to Cabinet. This includes full-time statutory appointments to boards and committees, and full or part-time membership of boards, concessions, trusts and committees. Where there is any doubt about the need for proposed appointments to be referred to Cabinet, advice should be sought from the PEO. The attached standard report form has been developed to minimise the work involved and to assist Cabinet consideration of proposals.

(2) Proposed appointments are to be cleared with the PEO before formal documentation is prepared and submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat. No commitments are to be made in relation to remuneration levels without prior approval of the Commissioner, PEO.

(3) The standard report should be completed for each proposed appointment, signed by the Minister, and lodged with the Cabinet Secretariat no later than 1.00 pm on the Wednesday before the Tuesday Cabinet meeting at which it is proposed the appointment be considered.

(4) The PEO will provide a new support service of advice to Ministers on suitable nominees for upcoming vacancies. Three months before appointments end, the PEO will initiate consultations with Ministers' offices on suitable nominees identified from the PEO database.

(5) The PEO will upgrade the existing register of possible nominees for appointment to Government boards and comnfittees to include:

(a) people nominated by Ministers, members of the community, interest groups, etc;
(b) people who self-nominate;

(c) respondents to regular PEO press advertisements inviting expressions of interest.
(6) Where Ministers receive nominations for appointments to Government boards and committees, or wish to nominate suitable people, details should be forwarded to the PEO for inclusion in the database.

(7) The PEO will place advertisements in metropolitan, major regional and ethnic press, inviting expressions of interest for appointment to Government boards and committees, including from senior, successful private sector leaders, from other men and women whose achievements in their field of endeavour have equipped them for advisory and decisionmaking roles, and from members of community groups. Information on Government boards and committees, and nomination forms, will be supplied by the PEO on request.

(8) The Womens'Register will continue as a distinct service, with details of women available for appointment to continue to be published in a printed register issued to Ministers.

This Memorandum supersedes Memoranda 88-53, 90-5, 90-37, 92-25, 92-29, 9441 and 95-10.

Please bring this Memorandum to the attention of Chief Executive Officers in Your portfolio, requesting them to ensure it is disseminated to Chairpersons of Government boards and committees and to officers involved in preparing recommendations on such appointments.

Bob Carr Premier

APPOINTMENTS TO GOVERNMENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

Name of Board, Commission etc.

Please Full time

Part time

Legislation (if any) under which constituted

Reasons for appointment (eg, new Board, reconstitution of existing Board, filling of vacancy)

Name of previous incumbent

Name of proposed

Appointee

Nominee of (where appropriate)

Address of proposed appointee

Summary of qualifications

Remuneration or fees payable

Term of proposed appointment

Signed: