This bill is currently before Parliament.
Government & democracy
The bill would create a legislated process for major Commonwealth public appointments, including significant integrity officer appointments, instead of leaving those appointments to broad ministerial discretion.
Sophie Scamps introduced the bill to address what the explanatory memorandum calls a “jobs for mates” culture in Commonwealth appointments. The bill responds to concerns that some senior public roles are filled through political patronage rather than open, merit-based processes, and to the Briggs Review finding, as described in the explanatory memorandum, that existing arrangements lacked clear rules, consistent standards and checks on direct ministerial appointments.
The bill sits in a continuing integrity debate about political appointments to Commonwealth boards, tribunals and statutory offices. The available sources trace that debate from 2022 research on political connections among public appointees, through the government’s 2023 Briggs Review and the delayed 2025 release of its report, to Scamps’s 2026 reintroduction of a private member’s bill proposing mandatory independent selection panels, a Public Appointments CommissionerThe proposed independent statutory officer who would chair or participate in selection panels, issue guidelines, provide advice and training, collect appointment data and report on appointment processes. and parliamentary scrutiny for significant integrity roles. The collected record does not show that the bill has passed either house or become an Act.
The collected parliamentary speeches on the 2026 bill are supportive, and the source bundle does not include opposition speeches, committee submissions, divisions or amendment debates on this specific bill. The main competing view in the collected public-context material is a broader argument that ministerial and cabinet appointment choices can be democratically accountable because elected governments answer to voters.
Sophie Scamps MP introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
100 days
Updated 10 June 2026.
Meaning
The bill would create a legislated process for major Commonwealth public appointments, including significant integrity officer appointments, instead of leaving those appointments to broad ministerial discretion.
For covered appointments, the responsible minister would have to set selection criteria by legislative instrumentA form of delegated law. The bill would require ministers to set selection criteria by legislative instrument, which the explanatory memorandum says is intended to provide transparency and parliamentary oversight., and the relevant Independent Selection PanelA panel the bill would establish for each Department of State to advertise vacancies, assess applicants and provide a shortlist and certification statements to the responsible minister. would have to run a competitive process and shortlist suitable candidates.
A covered appointment made after commencement would be invalid unless it followed the bill’s process, and the appointee would generally have to come from the panel’s shortlist.
The bill would add extra scrutiny for significant integrity officer appointments by requiring the minister to give the certification statementA statement from an Independent Selection Panel about a shortlisted candidate. For significant integrity officer appointments, the minister would have to give it to the proposed Parliamentary Joint Committee on Appointments before the appointment proceeds. to a new Parliamentary Joint Committee on Appointments and wait seven sitting days before making the appointment.
The bill would create an Independent Selection PanelA panel the bill would establish for each Department of State to advertise vacancies, assess applicants and provide a shortlist and certification statements to the responsible minister. for each Department of State, establish the Office of the Public Appointments CommissionerThe proposed independent statutory officer who would chair or participate in selection panels, issue guidelines, provide advice and training, collect appointment data and report on appointment processes., and prevent panels from shortlisting recent politicians or political staff for specified cooling-off periods.
This Bill introduces a comprehensive, legislated process for major Commonwealth public appointmentsTransparent and Quality Public Appointments explanatory memorandum
the responsible Minister for the appointment must determine the selection criteria for the appointment; and ... the responsible Independent Selection Panel for the appointment must conduct a competitive selection processTransparent and Quality Public Appointments introduced bill text
A public appointment ... that is made on or after the commencement of this Act is invalid unless it is made in accordance with the requirements set out in this Part. ... Only an individual who has been shortlisted by the responsible Independent Selection Panel for the appointment is to be appointed.Transparent and Quality Public Appointments introduced bill text
Before a significant integrity officer appointment is made, the certification statement ... must be given to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Appointments and the 7 sitting day period ... must have elapsed.Transparent and Quality Public Appointments introduced bill text
Establishes an ISP for each Department of State ... Creates an independent statutory office ... Prevents ISPs from shortlisting recent politicians or political staffTransparent and Quality Public Appointments explanatory memorandum
Context
The bill sits in a continuing integrity debate about political appointments to Commonwealth boards, tribunals and statutory offices. The available sources trace that debate from 2022 research on political connections among public appointees, through the government’s 2023 Briggs Review and the delayed 2025 release of its report, to Scamps’s 2026 reintroduction of a private member’s bill proposing mandatory independent selection panels, a Public Appointments CommissionerThe proposed independent statutory officer who would chair or participate in selection panels, issue guidelines, provide advice and training, collect appointment data and report on appointment processes. and parliamentary scrutiny for significant integrity roles. The collected record does not show that the bill has passed either house or become an Act.
Public appointments politicisation debate intensifies
The explanatory memorandum says about 7 per cent of federal government public appointees had a direct political connection as of July 2022, rising to 21 per cent among better paid, powerful or prestigious positions.
Explanatory memorandum ↗Government commissions Briggs Review
The explanatory memorandum says the government commissioned the Review of Public Sector Board Appointments Processes in February 2023 after committing to improve integrity in public appointments.
Explanatory memorandum ↗Earlier version of the bill introduced
Scamps’s 2026 second readingThe parliamentary stage where a bill’s general purpose and principles are introduced and debated. The second reading for this bill was moved on 2 March 2026. speech says she first introduced this proposal three years earlier, arguing that major Commonwealth appointments should be open, independent and transparent.
House second reading speech ↗Briggs report and appointments framework released
The explanatory memorandum says the Briggs Review final report was made public in December 2025 and that the government’s appointments framework did not create legislated merit-based rules or the structural safeguards recommended by the review.
Explanatory memorandum ↗2026 bill introduced in the House
The bill was introduced and its second readingThe parliamentary stage where a bill’s general purpose and principles are introduced and debated. The second reading for this bill was moved on 2 March 2026. was moved in the House of Representatives. The collected APH status remains “Before Reps”.
Parliament of Australia ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second readingThe parliamentary stage where a bill’s general purpose and principles are introduced and debated. The second reading for this bill was moved on 2 March 2026., opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second readingThe parliamentary stage where a bill’s general purpose and principles are introduced and debated. The second reading for this bill was moved on 2 March 2026. moved
Key criticism
The collected parliamentary speeches on the 2026 bill are supportive, and the source bundle does not include opposition speeches, committee submissions, divisions or amendment debates on this specific bill. The main competing view in the collected public-context material is a broader argument that ministerial and cabinet appointment choices can be democratically accountable because elected governments answer to voters.
Supporters of the bill answer that point by arguing that appointments to powerful public roles affect institutional independence and public trust, so the process should be open, merit-based and independently checked. Because the bill was still before the House in the collected record, criticism may develop if further debate occurs.
Ministerial accountability argument
A collected public-context article argued that cabinet appointments are political decisions and that ministers ultimately answer to voters if they make poor appointments. That is a general argument against removing too much discretion from elected governments, rather than a recorded parliamentary case against this specific bill.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Sophie Scamps supported the bill as a response to what she described as entrenched cronyism and political patronage in major public appointments.
Read in Hansard ↗Andrew Gee supported the bill, saying jobs for mates erodes trust in government and that all major parties have used political appointments while in office.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
2 speakers · 2 support
“This bill is about protecting the integrity of those decisions. Drafted in partnership with the Centre for Public Integrity, this bill would see the creation of a public appointments commissioner and independent departmental selection panels.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I don't think it's too much to ask that we have the most qualified people being appointed to key public positions and that there's an open, independent and transparent process around selections.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second readingThe parliamentary stage where a bill’s general purpose and principles are introduced and debated. The second reading for this bill was moved on 2 March 2026. opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second readingThe parliamentary stage where a bill’s general purpose and principles are introduced and debated. The second reading for this bill was moved on 2 March 2026., opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
