Statutory Bodies Told to Get Ministerial Approval Before Utterances Relating to Government Policy. (December 21, 2007)

According to The Sydney Morning Herald's Phillip Coorey:

[T]he Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research sent a directive to about a dozen statutory authorities including the CSIRO, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, and even the Questacon science museum in Canberra.

They were informed that from now on, all "strategic media releases which relate to the Government's key messages" must be co-ordinated through the office of the minister, Kim Carr, and, if necessary, the Prime Minister's office, "to ensure consistency".

Releases of a pedestrian nature could still be issued without clearance but any that touched on climate change, industrial relations, education and science reform, taxation policy, national security and health were "key message releases" and therefore must be vetted. The minister and Prime Minister reserve the right to make changes.

Mark Paterson, the departmental secretary... told the Herald the directive was neither unusual nor abnormal, particularly in the early days of a new government, when some "guidance" was required on how to deal with "media release issues... statutory authorities are [not] independent for all purposes. They are created to undertake a particular task. That doesn't give them free range, nor should it."

While the directive is little more than what has been an unwritten agreement between previous governments and statutory bodies, the more fundamental question of what employees of such bodies will be given to understand will not be "appreciated" when they voice their private opinions and conclusion on topics in their area of expertise while also making it clear they are not speaking as a representative of their employer.

A former public service commissioner, Andrew Podger, told the ABC the directive from the head of the Industry Department appears to be reasonable, but should be reviewed over the next 12 months.

"I think it's too early to assume that an action to ensure better understanding, consistency of the new Government's strategic policies is an attack on their independence," he said.

"But I think it is something you just want to keep an eye on, because it can be a balancing act and we have seen over the years some intrusion on the independence of the public service."

Perhaps Senator Carr might issue a clarifying statement.