The Editor
The Australian
4 May 2003

The usual suspects

Labor has criticized Dr Ron Brunton's appointment to the ABC Board on the basis that he is an "idealogical zealot".

While that may be a fair description of Dr Brunton, it does not disqualify him for the ABC Board. There is a place for zealots in public life.

Our concern is not with this appointment, but with the pattern of appointments. The government has not been able to see beyond the usual suspects. Dr Brunton is closely associated with conservative politics, including the Institute of Public Affairs and the Liberal party. He replaces Liberal identity Michael Kroger. His Board colleagues include conservative economist Professor Judith Sloan, Chairman of the Stock Exchange Maurice Newman, former Liberal politician Ross McLean and John Howard's friend Donald McDonald.

Not only does the government have a record of appointing the usual suspects to the ABC board, but the process itself is also suspect. . It happens secretly, and without any apparent relationship to the qualifications required to run a broadcasting organization.

It is time the government followed the Conservative government in the UK and implemented an open and non-partisan method of finding qualified people to run our national broadcaster.

Darce Cassidy