Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

What I am suggesting is that the government’s appointment procedures account for these particular concerns that you have got. We have no intention of changing that position from our stated position in regard to that process. It is unnecessary for these issues to be presented by way of amendment on the selection of members to the board of Skills Australia. These would be cabinet appointments, as I understand it, and the cabinet can be relied upon to ensure that the necessary skills will be represented on the board to fulfil its functions as required by the legislation. We do not need to have any reference to a specific requirement of merit. All of the members of Skills Australia, I trust, will be appointed on the basis of merit. I would find it very difficult to believe that there would be any other argument presented by the minister as to why a person should not be appointed. There will of course be a proper process in terms of the appointments, as we have indicated. I understand that Senator Faulkner has outlined in some detail the procedures to be followed. As for probity, is it seriously proposed that the government would appoint people who were knowingly in breach of the probity requirements? I find that a difficult proposition to accept.