Carpenter heads premier division

The big changes at the top of the state government over the past six months have put the new premier, Alan Carpenter, firmly at the head of WA Business News’ fifth annual ‘Most Influential’ survey.

Mr Carpenter succeeded Geoff Gallop in January and, while he has faced many difficult issues since then, is clearly in charge and slowly putting his stamp on government policy.

The ranking of Western Australia’s most influential people is based on discussions with a wide range of people in business, politics and government.

Influence can be gauged in many ways: in setting government policy; in making investment and spending decisions; in shaping public opinion; and in approving major projects or blocking projects.

As premier, Mr Carpenter holds influence over all of these.

Apart from the premier, the two most influential ministers in the state government are considered to be factional powerbroker, Attorney-General and Health Minister, Jim McGinty, and Deputy Premier and Treasurer Eric Ripper.

Mr McGinty’s influence has dipped since last year because his left faction, which used to dominate the party in alliance with the new right, has been split.

Jock Ferguson’s metalworkers bloc still considers itself part of the left but is no longer assured of voting with the faction, leaving the party with a more fluid factional set up.

Nonetheless, Mr McGinty is still extremely influential by force of his experience, intellectual capacity, ability to sway cabinet meetings and powerful portfolios.

As treasurer, Mr Ripper has always been a major figure in the state government, but his influence is seen to have increased since he played a central role in securing support for Mr Carpenter for the party leadership.

Messrs McGinty and Ripper are also among the group of senior ministers that the premier turns to for advice and counsel.

In the business world, a handful of very big companies has a dispropor-tionate influence on the state’s economic fortunes. Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Woodside Petroleum and Chevron account for the bulk of big investment projects under way or planned in WA.

While it’s hard to single out individuals in such large organisations, two people stand out and have therefore been included in the list of WA’s 10 most influential.

Don Voelte is managing director of Woodside Petroleum, the state’s largest company, and his strategic decisions will have a big sway on where and how Woodside invests billions of dollars over coming years.

Sam Walsh is chief executive of Rio Tinto Iron Ore and a member of Rio’s global executive committee, making him the state’s most influential mining executive.

John Poynton has been included in the top 10 because of his very wide network of influence.

His formal positions include executive chairman of Azure Capital, chairman of Alinta, deputy chairman of Austal, director of Multiplex and director of Burswood.

The latter two indicate his close association with the Roberts and Packer families.

Another inclusion in the top 10 is Alinta managing director Bob Browning, who has transformed the business from a regional utility to a major national energy player.

Michael Chaney has widened his influence over the past year since retiring as Wesfarmers managing director. As chairman of National Australia Bank, chairman designate of Woodside and president of the Business Council of Australia, he is a major player on the national business and policy stage.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA chief executive John Langoulant is highly respected across the political divide and, more than any other individual, is the voice of business in Perth.

With Labor in power, the CCI doesn’t always get its way, but his appointment as chair of the Major Stadia Taskforce points to his continuing respect and influence.

A new inclusion in the top 10 is the premier’s chief of staff, 34-year-old Rita Saffioti. As the top adviser to the state’s most powerful person, she has a major influence on the development of the state.