After it became clear that almost all the ABC's recently appointed directors had been "captain's picks" not recommended by the independent nominations committee – a fact revealed amid a scandal over politically minded interference by the ABC's departed chairman Justin Milne — you'd think the Coalition would be keen for vacancies at the public broadcaster to be filled in a manner above reproach.

That might mean no longer being able to stack the board with friendlies. Though there is another solution (besides stacking the nominations panel, which has been tried). Select a friendly recruitment agency, whose board practice is led by a former NSW Coalition MP, and maybe you can have the best of both worlds.