When a role becomes available, we provide suitable nominees to the government agencies. Those agencies appoint to Public sector boards. We identify the candidates who meet the criteria for the role. We then make contact with them to confirm their interest in role. In some cases, interested candidates will be provided with the role details so that they can apply directly to the agency. Alternatively, the details of suitable candidates may be forwarded to the agency seeking nominations without the candidate’s knowledge.
The agency looking for board members will consider all nominations received from a range of sources before making a recommendation to their Minister or the Governor-General. The final appointment decision is made by the agency’s Minister or Governor-General, with Cabinet's approval. We do not have control or influence over the selection process.
Public sector boards are highly competitive, often with more than a hundred suitable candidates applying for each role. You may fully meet the role description and fail to get shortlisted, as getting shortlisted can require passing over candidates who are just as appointable as you.
Minister appointed boards can take up to six months between applying and getting feedback on the outcome. A diagram of the appointments process is available on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet(external link) website.
If you have been nominated for a position, the outcome of the process cannot be confirmed until after appointments have been considered by the Cabinet Appointment and Honours Committee (APH) and Cabinet. Board members are paid fees according to the board’s roles and responsibilities. Fees are set by Ministers using the Cabinet Fees Framework.