Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I move Democrats amendment (1) on sheet 5171:

(1) Schedule 1, item 5, page 7 (after line 19), after section 95A-3, insert:

95A-3A  Procedures for merit selection of appointments under this Act

        (1)    The Minister must by writing determine a code of practice for selecting and appointing the Aged Care Commissioner that sets out general principles on which the selection is to be made, including but not limited to:

             (a)    merit; and

             (b)    independent scrutiny of appointments; and

             (c)    probity; and

             (d)    openness and transparency.

        (2)    After determining a code of practice under subsection (1), the Minister must publish the code in the Gazette.

        (3)    The Minister must review a code of practice determined under subsection (1) not later than every fifth anniversary after the code has been determined.

        (4)    In reviewing a code of practice, the Minister must invite the public to comment on the code.

        (5)    A code of practice determined under subsection (1) is a disallowable instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.

This is a standard amendment. Most people in this chamber will be familiar with the Democrats’ standard amendment on merit selection. I urge the government to—for once—support this amendment.