Boards and committees appointments
Boards and committees provide leadership, direction and accountability across many areas of NSW Government activity. They are a vital link between community needs and government service delivery.
There are around 400 centrally reported government boards and committees with about 4400 members. These boards and committees are diverse in terms of:
- functions
- form
- size
- the way in which they operate.
They encompass:
- boards of government trading enterprises
- marketing boards
- regulatory boards
- professional registration boards
- Area Health Service boards
- trust boards
- advisory councils and committees.
See a list of the boards and committees that support the NSW Government on the Public Service Commission website.
Are you looking to join a board or committee?
The NSW Government provides opportunities for the community to participate in its decision making process and supports diversity in the appointment to boards and committees.
If you would like to make a contribution to your community and the way you live, you can join the NSW Government Register to be available for appointment to NSW Government boards or committees. Boards and committees are for people prepared to have a say today on decisions that will affect tomorrow.
The boards and committees appointments process
Cabinet must review appointments identified as significant or high-level. However, Ministers can sometimes appoint directly to NSW Government boards and committees.
Public and statutory office holders and executive agency heads
Cabinet must endorse the appointment of:
- most public and statutory office holders
- heads of executive agencies employed by Ministers
- other senior government roles.
In some circumstances, a Minister may be able to approve or directly appoint a public and statutory office holder or executive agency head – this is most common for an acting appointment for less than 12 months.
Resources and guidelines for appointments
All appointments to NSW Government boards and committees with at least one member who is external to Government, should comply with the following policies. This includes commissions and trusts that are established under statute or administratively with governing or advisory functions.
- Premier’s Memorandum M2021-07 Appointments to NSW Government boards and committees
- Public Service Commissions’ Appointments Standards
- NSW Government Boards and Committees Guidelines
- Public Service Commission's Classification and Remuneration Framework for NSW Government Boards and Committees
- Guidelines for Cabinet appointments – Public and statutory office holders and executive agency head (PDF 542.69KB)
- Cabinet appointment form template (DOCX 52.95KB).
Agencies should:
- advertise board or committee vacancies on the NSW Boards website
- check the NSW Boards Register when filling any vacancy as it holds a diverse range of candidates that agencies can use to fill vacancies on boards and committees.