A retired Victorian Labor frontbencher has won a second taxpayer-funded board role amid a probe into the politicisation of the public service.
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Martin Foley will chair the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation, replacing experienced company director James MacKenzie.
The body is spearheading a project to revamp the arts precinct, including a new $1.7 billion contemporary art and design gallery named after trucking magnates Lindsay and Paula Fox.
Chairs of commercial governance boards in Victoria command salaries between $80,313 to $150,656 a year, according to current appointment and remuneration guidelines.
The Victorian Ombudsman is investigating if the state's public service has been compromised by the hiring of more than 30 former advisers to Premier Daniel Andrews and his ministers.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto said Mr Foley's appointment shows the scale of Labor's jobs for mates culture.
"Even in the face of an ombudsman inquiry into the politicisation of the public service, they go and award at least four high-paying public service jobs to Daniel Andrews' mates without any evidence that they've advertised anywhere," he said.
It comes after Mr Foley, a former health minister, and ex-police minister Lisa Neville were named chairs of Alfred Health and Barwon Health respectively in June.
Later that month, former deputy premier James Merlino was selected to head up the authority overseeing Labor's signature Suburban Rail Loop.
All three of those positions are taxpayer-funded.
Mr Andrews confirmed Mr Foley's latest appointment was a cabinet decision but insisted it was based on merit, pointing to his time as creative industries minister.
The premier revealed a member of the former Liberal Baillieu/Napthine government was set to be appointed to a government board next week, although he would not divulge their name.
"They all see me walk down the street, speaker, they cross Collins Street these former Liberals (and ask) 'could you get me a job? Could you put me on a board?" he said during lower house question time on Thursday.
"It seems they don't bother telling the leader of the opposition that they are petitioning the government to put them on things."
Australian Associated Press
