❓ The Minister for Energy updates the house on the appointment of Ms Nicky Cusworth as chair of the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA), highlighting her qualifications and the increasing representation of women in senior public sector roles.
AnsweredQoN 438Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ECONOMIC REGULATION AUTHORITY — APPOINTMENT
438. Ms E. EVANGEL to the Minister for
Energy:
Can the minister please update the
house on the recent appointment of the chair of the Economic Regulation
Authority?
438. Ms E. EVANGEL to the Minister for
Energy:
Can the minister please update the
house on the recent appointment of the chair of the Economic Regulation
Authority?
AnswerView source ↗
Member, the question is a very
important one. The Economic Regulation Authority is a very important
institution in Western Australia. It is, effectively, the state's
independent regulator looking over important industries such as rail, water,
gas and electricity. It governs and oversees the licensing into the electricity
and gas markets, and it also has an oversight role of the wholesale gas and
electricity markets. It also undertakes really important reviews. It is a very
important, independent agency. It is a pleasure of mine to announce that Ms Nicky
Cusworth, an old friend of mine I might add, has been appointed to the position
of chair of the Economic Regulation Authority.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Order, members! We are wasting time.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Nicky Cusworth has been the deputy director general of the
Department of State Development for many years. For many years before that, she
was a senior economist and Treasury official, and before that chief economist
of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia. Without question,
she is one of the most skilled analysts living in Western Australia. It is a real
pleasure to see her appointed by the Public Sector Commissioner as the new head
of the ERA. Nicky also —
Ms
R. Saffioti : Nicky?
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Yes, that is her name.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan! It is becoming tiresome now. A quick answer,
please.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Ms Cusworth adds to a growing number of women in the public
service, particularly in the senior executive service. The Western Australian
public sector workforce is 72 per cent female—it is very large. There
is increasing representation in the senior executive service. When we came into
government in 2008, women made up 23.7 per cent of the SES. Now it is 31.7 per cent,
which is a substantial increase. She adds to people such as Heather Brayford,
director general of the Department of Fisheries; Jennifer Mathews, director
general of the Department of Local Government and Communities; Anne Nolan,
director general of the Department of Finance; and of course Eva Skira, chair
of the Water Corporation. I look forward to working extensively with Nicky
Cusworth as the new chair of the ERA.
important one. The Economic Regulation Authority is a very important
institution in Western Australia. It is, effectively, the state's
independent regulator looking over important industries such as rail, water,
gas and electricity. It governs and oversees the licensing into the electricity
and gas markets, and it also has an oversight role of the wholesale gas and
electricity markets. It also undertakes really important reviews. It is a very
important, independent agency. It is a pleasure of mine to announce that Ms Nicky
Cusworth, an old friend of mine I might add, has been appointed to the position
of chair of the Economic Regulation Authority.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Order, members! We are wasting time.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Nicky Cusworth has been the deputy director general of the
Department of State Development for many years. For many years before that, she
was a senior economist and Treasury official, and before that chief economist
of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia. Without question,
she is one of the most skilled analysts living in Western Australia. It is a real
pleasure to see her appointed by the Public Sector Commissioner as the new head
of the ERA. Nicky also —
Ms
R. Saffioti : Nicky?
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Yes, that is her name.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan! It is becoming tiresome now. A quick answer,
please.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Ms Cusworth adds to a growing number of women in the public
service, particularly in the senior executive service. The Western Australian
public sector workforce is 72 per cent female—it is very large. There
is increasing representation in the senior executive service. When we came into
government in 2008, women made up 23.7 per cent of the SES. Now it is 31.7 per cent,
which is a substantial increase. She adds to people such as Heather Brayford,
director general of the Department of Fisheries; Jennifer Mathews, director
general of the Department of Local Government and Communities; Anne Nolan,
director general of the Department of Finance; and of course Eva Skira, chair
of the Water Corporation. I look forward to working extensively with Nicky
Cusworth as the new chair of the ERA.
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