Labor party faithfuls appointed to top Jobs

Number of posts : 8 Registration date : 2007-06-06

Labor faithful in key posts
Article from: The Advertiser
MICHAEL OWEN, POLITICAL REPORTER
August 11, 2007 02:15am
DOZENS of people with close links to the Labor Party have been appointed to lucrative State Government board and committee positions.
A list of board and committee appointments which pay up to $75,000 a year, compiled by the Liberal Party, includes a former Labor minister's wife, former Labor MPs, Labor Party candidates and former senior Labor ministerial staffers.
Upper House Budget and Finance Committee chairman Rob Lucas yesterday said the Opposition would consider legislative change or a parliamentary inquiry in a bid to increase the transparency of such appointments.
Boards and committees are responsible for annual income and expenses of an estimated $10 billion.
The Opposition argues some appointments are not publicly announced and, often, an appointee's association with the ALP was not disclosed.
"There needs to be greater transparency and Premier Mike Rann needs to explain publicly his reasons for continuing to appoint so many people with obvious Labor connections to key government boards and committees," Mr Lucas said.
"It is clear that if you are a Labor mate or have close associations with the Labor Party, your chance of appointment is much greater."
Among the list of State Government appointments are former Labor Senator Nick Bolkus and his wife, Mary Patetsos.
Mr Bolkus, the chairman of a state Labor Party fundraising arm, yesterday said he earns about $1800 a year as chairman of the Stormwater Management Authority and $10,000 a year on the Playford North Development Committee.
Ms Patetsos earns more than $52,000 a year after being appointed to the SA Housing Trust Board, the Premier's Social Inclusion Board and the Local Government Grants Commission.
She said all the appointments were disclosed, although she also was on several sub-committees.
But in an emailed statement yesterday, Mr Rann said the current process of appointments was open and transparent enough.