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Assistant Minister for the Public Service Patrick Gorman MP tells the AICD how a new framework for public board appointments is designed to make the process clearer, more consistent and more accessible to Australians with the right skills and experience.
At the heart of the Australian Government Appointments Framework 2026 is a push to open public board and committee roles to a wider field of candidates, while giving departments a more consistent and transparent process. Until recently, approaches varied widely across portfolios.
Minister Gorman says the overarching ambition is simple: lifting governance capability right across the nation.
“Ultimately, it’s about making sure we get the absolute best talent on our boards and committees,” he says.
“We know that we're not the only ones out there looking for the smartest Australians to make a contribution. This framework gives guidance across the public sector so that we lift our standards and ensure ministers are making good appointments.”
Sourcing talent beyond familiar networks
The framework responds directly to the independent review of public sector board appointments processes led by former Public Service Commissioner Lynelle Briggs AO.
“What we found from the Briggs review was there were so many different arrangements across departments,” says Gorman. “That report told us the processes that existed before this whole-of-government framework weren’t always giving us the best candidates to choose from. In my view, and the government’s view, there is nothing to lose from broadening the search.”
For Gorman, expanding the search eliminates reliance on insular recruitment networks: “There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’ve just got a recycled list. Tapping into membership networks like the AICD to encourage people to take these opportunities is so helpful to us.”
Under the new approach, departments identify the skills needed at the outset and use a shortlisting process designed to limit bias. Ministers receive unranked suitability reports setting out the strengths of each person put forward.
Why merit and diversity work hand-in-hand
A central tenet of the framework is balancing rigorous merit with broad community representation - two concepts Gorman insists reinforce, rather than compete with, one another.
“Diverse representation of perspectives gives us better performance,” he says. “If you think about the boards we’re appointing to, it is important that we have a whole-of-country perspective. We know we’re very lucky because there’s a pool of some 27 million talented Australians out there. We need to look far and wide to get the best set of skills.”
Gorman emphasises that ministers and departments must look at boards “in totality,” accounting for geographic breadth, regional lived experience, and cultural and linguistic diversity.
“An obvious example in that regard is the SBS board, where you would want to ensure that you’ve got people on the board who really understand the needs of the audience that they are there for,” he notes. “The first principle is that ministers should make the best possible appointment based on merit. But Commonwealth boards are different from corporate boards. They are not just there to achieve financial outcomes – they also have public policy objectives to deliver, so representation really matters.”
What skills translate to public sector boards?
While some have argued for more prescriptive appointment rules to be written into law, Gorman says the framework is designed to lift standards while preserving ministerial accountability.
“Ministers are accountable for the decisions made by entities in their portfolio,” he explains. “So many of the appointments that we make are defined by legislation... There’s a lot of attention given to it, and a lot of discussion that happens to make sure that we are making the right appointments.”
Because those appointments span such varied mandates, the framework is designed to attract directors who can bring private sector discipline and not-for-profit experience to public institutions.
“There’s a range of things that we need from those who bring private sector experience: systems-based thinking, good financial judgment, the ability to spot opportunities,” Gorman says. “Sometimes people think of public service and government boards as just managing risk, but we want them to go out and find new opportunities too. For example, with funds like the National Reconstruction Fund, that means helping create the sort of economy we need for the future.”
Gorman points to audit, assurance, workforce management, cybersecurity, and leading through change as essential proficiencies: “People who bring experience of major business transformation will also have the right sort of skill set to help when we’re asking something different of a longstanding public body or setting up new architecture to meet emerging challenges.”
A message to directors: “Put your hand up”
Gorman stresses that the government is focused on cultivating the entire director pipeline; from early-career governance professionals to seasoned directors stepping back from listed boards who want to “do something for the public.”
“Bring your entire self, all of your experience, knowledge and achievements,” Gorman urges. “Some of the big challenges ahead for Australia require something beyond profit and loss or risk mitigation. That includes AI-integrated workplaces, service delivery with an ageing population, and Australia’s place in the world as we face the most challenging strategic circumstances since World War II.”
For AICD members considering public sector governance, Gorman leaves four clear takeaways:
We are in the fight for talent: “Put your hand up. Canberra and Sydney have a lot of talent, but they don’t hold all of it. There are skilled people right across Australia.”
Bring yourself and your experience: “I’d love to see directors who’ve made contributions not just at an ASX board level, but also at a community or not-for-profit organisation, small business, the startup community, or social enterprises.”
The work can have lasting impact: “The sorts of opportunities that you have by making that type of public service through a government board will be very personally rewarding. You will see real change made as a result of that service.”
Directors looking to benchmark their boardroom diversity and governance practices can explore the AICD Board Diversity Index 2026 and consult foundational guidance on the role of the board in public sector governance.
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