Board roles for Morton, Weatherill, Walley

Former federal minister Ben Morton, former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and Noongar elder Richard Walley will join state government boards in the new year.

Ports minister Rita Saffioti announced today that Mr Morton’s appointment to the Southern Ports Authority Board will start on January 1.

Mr Morton was the Federal Liberal Member for Tagney from 2016 to 2022, and was Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

He will serve an initial two-year term on the Southern Ports Authority Board.

Ms Saffioti said Mr Morton would bring experience to the role and provide strong leadership to the board.

Mr Weatherill and Dr Walley will join the Infrastructure WA board on January 1, as announced by Premier Mark McGowan today.

Dr Walley is a director of his family-owned business Aboriginal Productions and Promotions, a co-director of social project Danjoo Koorliny, and founding director of Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In 1993, Dr Walley was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to the performing arts and Aboriginal culture.

He was also 2021 WA Senior Australian of the Year.

Mr Weatherill was elected to South Australian Parliament in 2002 and served as its Premier from 2011 to 2018.

He joined the Forrest family’s Minderoo Foundation as a director of the organisation’s Thrive by Five initiative in 2020.

“I congratulate Hon Weatherill and Dr Walley on their appointments, bringing their diverse expertise and experiences to the Board, and contributing to the guidance of the IWA team through their next phase of work,” Mr McGowan said.

The pair will replace outgoing Infrastructure WA board members Andrea Sutton and Wayne Zekulich.

“I would like to express my gratitude to Andrea and Wayne for the last three and a half years with the IWA Board,” Infrastrure WA board chair Nicole Lockwood said.

“Their contributions, particularly to the inaugural State Infrastructure Strategy have been invaluable.”

Southern Ports Authority board member Robyn Fenech has also been reappointed for an additional year while Peter Woronzow will stay on as a member of Infrastructure WA board for another term.