FOI documents show Peter Dutton’s ‘captain’s call’ to make senior Liberal head of defence thinktank

New documents show how the former defence minister Peter Dutton's "captain's call" delivered a senior Coalition adviser the top job at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Just before the May election was called, Dutton announced that Justin Bassi - then chief of staff to then foreign affairs minister Marise Payne - would be Aspi's new executive director.

Bassi's appointment, replacing the outgoing chief Peter Jennings, was one of more than 30 placements of Coalition staffers and former MPs into high-profile roles.

According to its charter, Aspi is independent under a non-partisan council and funded in part by the Department of Defence "to foster and deepen strategic policy discourse, debate and research of value to the Australian government, Department of Defence, and [the] wider Australian public".

Aspi receives $4m a year in taxpayer funds and last year received an extra $5m for a new office in Washington.

Documents obtained by Guardian Australia under freedom of information legislation showed Aspi's choice of candidate was overruled by Dutton. That decision was then kept secret for months before being announced shortly before the election was called.

According to one department briefing, Aspi canvassed six candidates. Three were "not preferred", one withdrew, Bassi was "found suitable" and "one candidate was found suitable and was indicated by the council as being its preferred candidate".

The other candidates' names were not revealed.

That list was submitted to Defence in November last year. A 16 February submission from the defence department to Dutton noted that "on 10 December 2021, you agreed to nominate Mr Justin Bassi for the position of executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute".

On 2 February this year, talking points provided by the department said "no decision has been made on the appointment of the next executive director of Aspi".

The FOIs show a flurry of emails throughout February noting the process of appointing Bassi was urgent, that it was "likely to attract considerable media attention", and that it was still to be kept secret.

"The appointments process has been the subject of media speculation and a freedom of information application," said one email attached to Dutton's letter asking then prime minister Scott Morrison to agree to the appointment. Another seven pages of that letter were redacted.

Further "key issues" on the submission were redacted.

On 22 February, another internal email with a draft press release attached pointed out that the appointment had "already attracted media attention", stating: "At the request of the minister's office, the name of the candidate is extremely close hold [their emphasis] at the moment, so we'd appreciate it if you don't disseminate this draft any further at this stage."

On 23 February, there were more emails, with one asking for "urgent clearance".

Bassi was a national security adviser to prime minister Malcolm Turnbull when he was in office, and also advised then attorney general George Brandis. He was a senior officer at the Office of National Intelligence before becoming Payne's chief of staff.

He is widely liked and respected but in March Labor warned Dutton against making a "political captain's call". Labor's then defence spokesperson Brendan O'Connor - who had been seeking all documents relating to the selection process - said "there is no greater responsibility than the security of our nation, and part of that is restoring the integrity, trust and transparency of our institutions".

On 24 March, Dutton officially informed Bassi of the five-year term. "I believe that the skills and experience you have developed over a long career in national security will be a great asset to Aspi," he wrote.

To the Aspi council, he said Bassi was "selected from a strong field of candidates based on his significant national security experience and strong networks". The appointment was finally announced on 29 March, just over a week before Morrison called the election for 21 May.

Aspi and the defence minister, Richard Marles, declined to comment.