Minister announces acting Chair for ENERGEX

Minister for Mines and Energy, Geoff Wilson, today announced the appointment of businessman John Dempsey as Acting Chair of ENERGEX Limited.

Mr Dempsey has been a member of the ENERGEX Board since 1999 and was Chair of the Board’s Audit and Compliance Committee.

The Minister said Mr Dempsey would act in the position until a permanent replacement was found for current Chair Khory McCormick who announced he would retire from the Board on 31 December.

“Mr Dempsey has been part of the company’s restructure and he fully understands the expectations that I have for ENERGEX. Those expectations are shared by the State Government, and most importantly ENERGEX customers,” Mr Wilson said.

A former Deputy Mayor of Cairns, Mr Dempsey now conducts a public accountancy practice in Brisbane with more than 30 years’ experience in the field. He is an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and holds postgraduate diplomas in Accounting and Financial Management and in Agricultural Economics.

Mr Dempsey was an inaugural member of Sugar Industry Tribunal in 1991, where he served for six years, and he played a significant role in the development of the Management of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area listing as Chair of the Community Consultative Group.

Mr Wilson said that Mr Dempsey would oversee ENERGEX as it met a number of challenges in the coming months.

“These challenges include completion of the sale of its retail electricity and gas operations and preparation for the introduction of full retail competition in the electricity and gas retail industry in July.

“This is in addition to ensuring that ENERGEX meets its commitments to the 2.7 million people in south east Queensland who rely on the company for a safe and reliable electricity supply, especially during the storm season,” Mr Wilson said.

Media Inquiries: Brooke Johnson (07) 3224 7332