❓ Mr. Johnston questions the Minister for Energy regarding conflicting accounts about the Synergy chairmanship, specifically whether the Minister offered the position to someone else before Michael Smith's departure. The Minister confirms changes to the board and the appointment of a new full-time chairman, Lyndon Rowe.
AnsweredQoN 533Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SYNERGY —
CHAIRMANSHIP
533. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the
Minister for Energy:
I refer to reports —
Mr N.W. Morton interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I call you to order for the first time. Member for
Cannington, can you repeat the question, please.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON :
Certainly.
I refer to reports that the minister disputes the claims from
the former chairperson of Synergy Michael Smith —
Mr N.W. Morton interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : —
that the minister had already offered the job of executive chairperson or
full-time chairperson to someone else, and that it was an inappropriate
process, and I ask: who is telling the truth—the minister, or one of
the most respected business leaders in this state?
CHAIRMANSHIP
533. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the
Minister for Energy:
I refer to reports —
Mr N.W. Morton interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I call you to order for the first time. Member for
Cannington, can you repeat the question, please.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON :
Certainly.
I refer to reports that the minister disputes the claims from
the former chairperson of Synergy Michael Smith —
Mr N.W. Morton interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : —
that the minister had already offered the job of executive chairperson or
full-time chairperson to someone else, and that it was an inappropriate
process, and I ask: who is telling the truth—the minister, or one of
the most respected business leaders in this state?
AnswerView source ↗
I would like to thank the member for the question. Yes, we
have made some changes, and there have been some changes to the Synergy board.
I did indicate earlier last month to Mike Smith, who was the chairman and had
been the chairman of the former Synergy for the period of that business's
life, that I was going to make some changes to the chairmanship of the
organisation, and I explored with him a number of options. He had done an
excellent job as chairman, both for the combined entity and previously for the
retailer. I wanted to make some changes for a range of reasons. Mike had been
there for eight years. That is a long time. The business had changed. When he
came on, it was a retailing organisation, and he then stayed on to put the
merger together. He had significant skills as a chairman and in putting new
businesses together. The businesses are tied together. It is a basically
industrial operation—different. It is facing a whole range of
challenges, and it needs a full-time chairman in my view. I indicated that to
him. I also explored with him the issue of an executive chairman. He advised me
against it. We have not done it. What we have done, however, is that today, a
few minutes ago, I announced that we have replaced Michael with a new full-time
chairman in the form of Lyndon Rowe, a former executive chairman, I might add,
of the Economic Regulation Authority. He is not an executive chairman. We will
not change the executive powers of the CEO, Jason Waters, who does a great job.
But Lyndon Rowe will be a full-time chairman to chair the board and help the
new entity deal with a whole range of strategic issues it confronts—from
coal contracts, gas contracts, changes to the market, and driving efficiencies
in the business. I had a lot of discussions with Mike Smith about a range of
issues, and I am simply not going to dwell on the personal conversations that I
have with chairmen. Those are confidential.
Mr M. McGowan :
This is the Parliament. They're not personal conversations.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the Opposition!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I
had personal conversations with the chairman. I am not going to dwell on them.
have made some changes, and there have been some changes to the Synergy board.
I did indicate earlier last month to Mike Smith, who was the chairman and had
been the chairman of the former Synergy for the period of that business's
life, that I was going to make some changes to the chairmanship of the
organisation, and I explored with him a number of options. He had done an
excellent job as chairman, both for the combined entity and previously for the
retailer. I wanted to make some changes for a range of reasons. Mike had been
there for eight years. That is a long time. The business had changed. When he
came on, it was a retailing organisation, and he then stayed on to put the
merger together. He had significant skills as a chairman and in putting new
businesses together. The businesses are tied together. It is a basically
industrial operation—different. It is facing a whole range of
challenges, and it needs a full-time chairman in my view. I indicated that to
him. I also explored with him the issue of an executive chairman. He advised me
against it. We have not done it. What we have done, however, is that today, a
few minutes ago, I announced that we have replaced Michael with a new full-time
chairman in the form of Lyndon Rowe, a former executive chairman, I might add,
of the Economic Regulation Authority. He is not an executive chairman. We will
not change the executive powers of the CEO, Jason Waters, who does a great job.
But Lyndon Rowe will be a full-time chairman to chair the board and help the
new entity deal with a whole range of strategic issues it confronts—from
coal contracts, gas contracts, changes to the market, and driving efficiencies
in the business. I had a lot of discussions with Mike Smith about a range of
issues, and I am simply not going to dwell on the personal conversations that I
have with chairmen. Those are confidential.
Mr M. McGowan :
This is the Parliament. They're not personal conversations.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the Opposition!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I
had personal conversations with the chairman. I am not going to dwell on them.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.