Former Labor staffer scores VenuesWest role

Premier Mark McGowan’s former chief of staff has been appointed to the board of state government agency VenuesWest, just eight months after he resigned following Labor’s landslide election win.

In a statement released this afternoon, Sport and Recreation Minister Tony Buti confirmed Guy Houston had been appointed to the board, which oversees Western Australia's major state-owned sporting facilities.

Mr Houston and University of Western Australia nominee Chris Massey are set to replace outgoing board members Linda Wayman and Paul Johnson.

The former ABC journalist has longstanding ties to WA Labor, having served as an adviser to former premiers Geoff Gallop and Alan Carpenter before joining Chevron as a communications advisor.

Mr Houston returned to politics after Mr McGowan became the leader of the WA Labor Party, serving as chief of staff until after the March 2021 election.

He is now a stragic advisor at Australian Capital Equity.

Mr Houston will serve a term of two years, finishing on October 25, 2023, while Mr Massey has been appointed for a term of 18 months.

The appointment comes less than a fortnight after Mr McGowan’s former deputy chief of staff Jo Gaines replaced John Langoulant as chair of the Government Employee Superannuation Board.

Ms Gaines served as Mr McGowan’s deputy chief of staff during the same period as Mr Houston, between 2012 and 2021.