An analysis by The Age compared Victoria's 6000 public board positions against a database of 12,000 Labor Party members, finding that party members hold about 10% of fee-paying board roles, despite comprising only 0.17% of the state's population.
The analysis also identified board appointments of former Labor politicians, their relatives, and party-aligned former staffers.
"Party interests override the public interest."
— Robert Redlich, former IBAC commissioner
Key Findings
- Labor Party members or close associates fill roughly one in ten of Victoria's 1800 annual fee-paying board positions.
- Former Labor politicians hold multiple chairmanships, including former premier John Brumby (Breakthrough Victoria), former premier Steve Bracks (Melbourne Cricket Ground Trust), and former minister Martin Pakula (Australian Grand Prix Corporation).
- Relatives of Labor figures—such as Chloe Shorten, Victoria Marles, Terry Bracks, and Rosemary McKenzie—hold board roles.
- Former senior public servant Tom Considine, a Labor Party member, sits on the Victorian Funds Management Corporation board.
The state's 843 boards oversee entities from water utilities to health services. Board chairs for top-tier roles earn up to $160,000 annually for part-time work.
Background & Reaction
Robert Redlich, former IBAC commissioner, said the findings reflect a culture where "party interests override the public interest." He noted that prolonged single-party government amplifies political appointments.
The analysis referenced the federal "No Favourites" report, which identified a 6–7% rate of political appointments as a threshold lacking integrity.
Despite comprising only 0.17% of the state's population, Labor Party members hold about 10% of fee-paying board roles.