Published Friday, 26 September, 2008 at 02:18 PM
Treasurer
The Honourable Andrew Fraser
New board appointments to lead Queensland GOCs
The Treasurer Andrew Fraser today announced a series of new appointments across the State’s Government owned corporations (GOC) sector, including a new Chair and CEO for regional energy retailer, Ergon Energy.
“A total of 40 people were appointed to 13 GOC boards by the Governor in Council — 26 reappointments and 14 new appointments — for terms up to three years,” Mr Fraser said.
Mr Fraser said the Government had ensured there was a healthy balance maintained between continuity and turnover in the board appointments.
He said as part of the new appointments former Ergon Energy CEO, Dr Ralph Craven, would replace longstanding Chair, Dr Keith Hilless who had decided to retire.
Ian McLeod, who has been acting CEO, has been confirmed in the CEO position by the Ergon Energy Corporation Board, providing confirmed leadership for the corporation moving into the future.
“In particular, I would like to thank Keith for his immense contribution and service at Ergon, where he has served as Chair since 2002. Keith is a gentleman in the true sense and has a legendary reputation in the electricity supply industry with his career spanning over 50 years,” Mr Fraser said.
“Ralph Craven has over 30 years’ experience in the electricity, gas and mining industries, holding chief and senior executive positions in both the private and public sectors. He is a former CEO of Transpower New Zealand Ltd, which owns and operates the high voltage network throughout New Zealand.”
The opportunity for staged renewal has also been taken with four existing members, Terri Hamilton, Helen Stanton, John Bird and Wayne Myers reappointed (for staged terms) and new members joining the Ergon Board.
Mr Fraser thanked Andrew Robertson and Barry Taylor, who complete their terms on the Board on 30 September, for their service to Ergon and the people of Queensland.
Ergon has established its Head Office in Townsville and former Townsville Mayor Tony Mooney joins the board, after completing his term on the Port of Townsville Board. Susan Forrester is also a new appointment and provides legal and mining industry skills to complement the board’s skill set.
Major-General Peter Arnison, Professor Mat Darveniza, Mary Boydell and John Geldard have been reappointed to the ENERGEX board, with lawyer Kerryn Newton joining the board to fill the vacancy made by the appointment in May of John Dempsey as Chair from his position as a Director of the board.
At the State transmission company, Powerlink, Else Shepherd has been reappointed Chair, where she has served with distinction since 1995. Christina Sutherland has also been reappointed to the board and Julie Beeby is a new appointment as an additional Director.
Mr Fraser said that Ms Beeby will be valuable addition to the Powerlink Board.
“Julie has current board level experience across five companies and has been involved in power generation and major mining projects in current and past positions. Over her 19-year career, Julie has worked in steel, minerals, petroleum and explosives but the majority of her work has been coal-related.’’
At CS Energy both Sarah Israel and Mark Bucknall have been reappointed to the board, and are joined by new appointments, Russell Kempnich and Tracy Dare. Mr Kempnich has extensive corporate experience in Australia and internationally and brings an engineering background to the board.
Tracy Dare was most recently National Manager, Corporate Banking at Suncorp Metway and is a former Senior Partner, Financial Advisory Services, KPMG Brisbane. Ms Dare is also a current member of the Queensland Gaming Commission, with her term concluding on that body on 18 December 2008.
“Ms Dare and Mr Kempnich replace Mr Tim Crommelin and Mr Tony White who chose to retire at the expiration of their terms and I thank both gentlemen for their service on that board.”
Mark Williamson has been reappointed to the Stanwell Corporation Board, while Central Queensland lawyer Graeme Crow is a new appointment to the corporation to fulfil the vacancy created by Bronwyn Morris who chose to not seek reappointment. Ms Morris continues on the QIC Board.
Kym Collins has been reappointed to the Tarong Energy Corporation Board.
The State’s largest GOC, QR Ltd, sees Dawson Petie reappointed and new appointments filling the vacancies after two directors, Lisa Hunt and Paul Bell, had previously stepped down due to other work commitments.
Allan Davies, who has extensive international corporate experience in the mining and logistics sectors joins the board along with the former Chair of the Service Delivery and Performance Commission, Dr Leo Keliher who brings his formidable experience in public governance to the board.
“Mr Davies is a mining engineer with extensive mining industry experience in Australia and South Africa. He is a former Director of Pacific National and a current board member of the Kaplan Infrastructure and Logistics Fund, Allan will bring strategic and national experience to the QR Board,” Mr Fraser said.
“Dr Keliher has been a leader in the implementation of public sector reform initiatives and had a distinguished career in the Queensland and New South Wales public service. His public governance experience will be an important addition to the board of QR.”
At SunWater, former Speaker and National Party Minister, the Honourable Neil Turner joins the board. Former Mackay Mayor and Trade Commissioner to Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Philippines, Julie Boyd completes her term on the SunWater Board. Mr Alan Millhouse completed his term on the Board earlier this year and lawyer Kirstin Ferguson enhances the skill set on the board in filling that position.
Long serving directors of distinction, John Allpass and Ian Brusasco AM, have retired from the Board of QIC, while Kenneth MacDonald, Maurice Newman and David Harrison have been reappointed.
“Together Mr Allpass and Mr Brusasco have served for 29 years on the Board of QIC. On behalf of the people of Queensland I extend my sincere gratitude for their immense contribution to the people of our state.”
Both Mr Allpass and Mr Brusasco indicated earlier this year they would not be seeking appointments beyond their current terms on QIC and their replacements, Brad Bowton and Lyn Gearing joined the Board in April in anticipation of the two vacancies arising this month.
Mr Brusasco continues as Chair of the Gladstone Ports Corporation where Judith Reynolds and Gail Davidson are new appointments to the Board.
Ms Reynolds is a Chartered Accountant and Ms Davidson is currently the Acting General Manager Disability Services (Operations) for the Endeavour Foundation and a long time resident in the Gladstone region. Andrea Staines and Terry Crawford have been reappointed to the board.
Mr Fraser thanked Steven Campbell and Ron O’Grady for their contributions to the Gladstone Ports Corporation, both of whom step down on 30 September 2008.
Mr Peter Lancaster has been reappointed to the Port of Brisbane Corporation.
With the restructure of Ports GOCs underway, the expiring terms of current appointees on the Ports Corporation of Queensland and Port of Townsville Boards have been extended by nine months through to 30 June 2009 when the port structure is scheduled to be in place.
Mr Fraser said that due to the divestment of Cairns and Mackay airports currently underway, the terms of board members of Cairns and Mackay Ports had been extended in June. They will also expire on 30 June 2009.
Decisions on the membership of new port structures will be made with the finalisation of the new port model announced this week.
Media Contact: Renee Mickelburgh 0458 357 539
“A total of 40 people were appointed to 13 GOC boards by the Governor in Council — 26 reappointments and 14 new appointments — for terms up to three years,” Mr Fraser said.
Mr Fraser said the Government had ensured there was a healthy balance maintained between continuity and turnover in the board appointments.
He said as part of the new appointments former Ergon Energy CEO, Dr Ralph Craven, would replace longstanding Chair, Dr Keith Hilless who had decided to retire.
Ian McLeod, who has been acting CEO, has been confirmed in the CEO position by the Ergon Energy Corporation Board, providing confirmed leadership for the corporation moving into the future.
“In particular, I would like to thank Keith for his immense contribution and service at Ergon, where he has served as Chair since 2002. Keith is a gentleman in the true sense and has a legendary reputation in the electricity supply industry with his career spanning over 50 years,” Mr Fraser said.
“Ralph Craven has over 30 years’ experience in the electricity, gas and mining industries, holding chief and senior executive positions in both the private and public sectors. He is a former CEO of Transpower New Zealand Ltd, which owns and operates the high voltage network throughout New Zealand.”
The opportunity for staged renewal has also been taken with four existing members, Terri Hamilton, Helen Stanton, John Bird and Wayne Myers reappointed (for staged terms) and new members joining the Ergon Board.
Mr Fraser thanked Andrew Robertson and Barry Taylor, who complete their terms on the Board on 30 September, for their service to Ergon and the people of Queensland.
Ergon has established its Head Office in Townsville and former Townsville Mayor Tony Mooney joins the board, after completing his term on the Port of Townsville Board. Susan Forrester is also a new appointment and provides legal and mining industry skills to complement the board’s skill set.
Major-General Peter Arnison, Professor Mat Darveniza, Mary Boydell and John Geldard have been reappointed to the ENERGEX board, with lawyer Kerryn Newton joining the board to fill the vacancy made by the appointment in May of John Dempsey as Chair from his position as a Director of the board.
At the State transmission company, Powerlink, Else Shepherd has been reappointed Chair, where she has served with distinction since 1995. Christina Sutherland has also been reappointed to the board and Julie Beeby is a new appointment as an additional Director.
Mr Fraser said that Ms Beeby will be valuable addition to the Powerlink Board.
“Julie has current board level experience across five companies and has been involved in power generation and major mining projects in current and past positions. Over her 19-year career, Julie has worked in steel, minerals, petroleum and explosives but the majority of her work has been coal-related.’’
At CS Energy both Sarah Israel and Mark Bucknall have been reappointed to the board, and are joined by new appointments, Russell Kempnich and Tracy Dare. Mr Kempnich has extensive corporate experience in Australia and internationally and brings an engineering background to the board.
Tracy Dare was most recently National Manager, Corporate Banking at Suncorp Metway and is a former Senior Partner, Financial Advisory Services, KPMG Brisbane. Ms Dare is also a current member of the Queensland Gaming Commission, with her term concluding on that body on 18 December 2008.
“Ms Dare and Mr Kempnich replace Mr Tim Crommelin and Mr Tony White who chose to retire at the expiration of their terms and I thank both gentlemen for their service on that board.”
Mark Williamson has been reappointed to the Stanwell Corporation Board, while Central Queensland lawyer Graeme Crow is a new appointment to the corporation to fulfil the vacancy created by Bronwyn Morris who chose to not seek reappointment. Ms Morris continues on the QIC Board.
Kym Collins has been reappointed to the Tarong Energy Corporation Board.
The State’s largest GOC, QR Ltd, sees Dawson Petie reappointed and new appointments filling the vacancies after two directors, Lisa Hunt and Paul Bell, had previously stepped down due to other work commitments.
Allan Davies, who has extensive international corporate experience in the mining and logistics sectors joins the board along with the former Chair of the Service Delivery and Performance Commission, Dr Leo Keliher who brings his formidable experience in public governance to the board.
“Mr Davies is a mining engineer with extensive mining industry experience in Australia and South Africa. He is a former Director of Pacific National and a current board member of the Kaplan Infrastructure and Logistics Fund, Allan will bring strategic and national experience to the QR Board,” Mr Fraser said.
“Dr Keliher has been a leader in the implementation of public sector reform initiatives and had a distinguished career in the Queensland and New South Wales public service. His public governance experience will be an important addition to the board of QR.”
At SunWater, former Speaker and National Party Minister, the Honourable Neil Turner joins the board. Former Mackay Mayor and Trade Commissioner to Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Philippines, Julie Boyd completes her term on the SunWater Board. Mr Alan Millhouse completed his term on the Board earlier this year and lawyer Kirstin Ferguson enhances the skill set on the board in filling that position.
Long serving directors of distinction, John Allpass and Ian Brusasco AM, have retired from the Board of QIC, while Kenneth MacDonald, Maurice Newman and David Harrison have been reappointed.
“Together Mr Allpass and Mr Brusasco have served for 29 years on the Board of QIC. On behalf of the people of Queensland I extend my sincere gratitude for their immense contribution to the people of our state.”
Both Mr Allpass and Mr Brusasco indicated earlier this year they would not be seeking appointments beyond their current terms on QIC and their replacements, Brad Bowton and Lyn Gearing joined the Board in April in anticipation of the two vacancies arising this month.
Mr Brusasco continues as Chair of the Gladstone Ports Corporation where Judith Reynolds and Gail Davidson are new appointments to the Board.
Ms Reynolds is a Chartered Accountant and Ms Davidson is currently the Acting General Manager Disability Services (Operations) for the Endeavour Foundation and a long time resident in the Gladstone region. Andrea Staines and Terry Crawford have been reappointed to the board.
Mr Fraser thanked Steven Campbell and Ron O’Grady for their contributions to the Gladstone Ports Corporation, both of whom step down on 30 September 2008.
Mr Peter Lancaster has been reappointed to the Port of Brisbane Corporation.
With the restructure of Ports GOCs underway, the expiring terms of current appointees on the Ports Corporation of Queensland and Port of Townsville Boards have been extended by nine months through to 30 June 2009 when the port structure is scheduled to be in place.
Mr Fraser said that due to the divestment of Cairns and Mackay airports currently underway, the terms of board members of Cairns and Mackay Ports had been extended in June. They will also expire on 30 June 2009.
Decisions on the membership of new port structures will be made with the finalisation of the new port model announced this week.
Media Contact: Renee Mickelburgh 0458 357 539