When talking about any Federal Government office or senior bureaucrat, it is wise to bear in mind what has been written by those in the know. In this case an article by Bruce Haigh a former diplomat in DFAT<https://brucehaigh.com.au> "A quarter-century of failure in foreign policy mars Australian credibility". 12 Jan 2022. He is talking about John Howard however his message applies to all Senior Executive Service (SES) appointees.
"At the same time, he [John Howard] politicised the public service, directly intervening or applying pressure with respect to senior appointments. Political loyalty trumped ability and experience. The change soon affected the middle ranks of the public service, fearless and honest advice became a thing of the past, as the nation witnessed with the Tampa affair, children overboard, refugees detained in concentration camps. It was an evil policy and an indicator of worse to come."