Statement from Minister for Mines and Energy

Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson said today that the Chief Executive Officer of CS Energy, Mark Chatfield, had been stood down by the CS Energy Board.

The Minister said he was advised of the decision today after he had emerged from a meeting on the matter with the acting Crown Solicitor and the Auditor-General.

Mr Wilson said the standing down followed a meeting he had requested with the Chair of the CS Energy Board after being advised of concerns about the acquisition of shares in a company that provides services to CS Energy.

“I referred the matter to the Queensland Auditor-General, convened an urgent meeting with the Chair of the Board and sought legal advice from the acting Crown Solicitor,” Mr Wilson said.

“I also raised the issue with Acting Premier and Shareholding Minister Anna Bligh.

“At my meeting with the Chair of the Board, he told me that CS Energy had asked its probity auditor, Ernst and Young, to investigate the matter and was seeking legal advice.

“I made it very clear to the Chair that I expect high standards to be met and maintained at all times, from the top of the organisation down.

“The government, and the public, would expect nothing less.

“I also told the Chair that I expected the Board to take swift and appropriate action if there were concerns about the CEO’s conduct,” he said.

“I expect the Board to undertake a thorough and rigorous investigation into the matter.

“This Government takes seriously the issue of conflict of interests within government owned corporations.

“You’d understand that I am limited at this stage in what public comments I can make until investigations have been finalised. We should also afford Mr Chatfield the presumption of innocence.

“This is about share trading and potential conflict of interest by a senior executive. It’s not about the 500 plus workers who are getting on with the important job of generating power to the people of Queensland,” Mr Wilson said.

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