IT’S not quite the passing of the old guard, but a flurry of changes over Christmas includes the departure of two long-term public servants who had worked across both shades of government.
IT’S not quite the passing of the old guard, but a flurry of changes over Christmas includes the departure of two long-term public servants who had worked across both shades of government.
The resignations of Stephen Moir and Richard Muirhead from two agencies with a small business focus was largely overshadowed by much more high-profile changes, notably the sudden resignation of Department of Health director general Peter Flett after little more than one year at the helm of one of the state’s biggest bureaucracies.
Also taking the limelight was the shift of Premier Colin Barnett’s chief of staff and cabinet secretary, Deidre Willmott, to take on the new role of state director of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Perth in 2011.
Mr Muirhead quit as head of Tourism WA after a review of the agency’s role. He had held the position since 2001 when the new Labor government of Geoff Gallop shifted him from CEO of the Department of Commerce and Trade, an appointment made under the premiership of Richard Court in 1997.
At the time the department was considered the state’s premier industry and trade development agency.
The tourism sector in WA is dominated by small businesses representing hospitality providers spread throughout the state.
Mr Moir was formally made CEO of the Small Business Development Corporation in June 2007, having served as acting CEO for a year, during which time the then state small business minister Norm Marlborough resigned in a scandal involving Brian Burke.
Mr Moir had succeeded long-serving SBDC chief George Etrelezis, having a long tenure as second in command.
Treasurer Troy Buswell expressed doubt about the future of the SBDC when he took office last year, but the agency remains independent of any particular department and has its own board.
Dr Flett’s departure is more surprising as he was appointed by the current Liberal government and was little more than a year into a five-year contract. Apart from being at the head of one of the most politically sensitive departments, he also took over a vacancy left by the departure of Neale Fong, who had courted controversy after becoming Australia’s highest paid public servant.
The health chief is understood to have taken issue with a public reprimand issued by Mr Buswell over his department’s ability to rein in costs.
Whoever the government appoints to fill this position will undoubtedly have their work cut out for them. Health costs continue to rise as the population ages and technology becomes ever more expensive. In addition, there seems little political will anywhere to make the hard decisions required to stem the haemorrhaging of budgets caused by free public medical care.
Ms Willmott’s change of scene came as a result of an increased risk of conflict of interest due to her husband’s role as a partner of law firm with a growing focus on resources work.
As a key adviser to Premier Colin Barnett, her decision to step down and seek a different role was initially portrayed as the first cracks appearing his government.
However, a year into the job much of the early work of consolidating government had been done and Ms Willmott had already performed the role as chief of staff to Richard Court.
In addition, she may well still harbour political ambitions of her own, given she successfully nominated for the seat of Cottesloe before Mr Barnett decided to seek re-election having won the Liberal leadership.
The vacancy left by Ms Willmott has been filled by Brian Pontifex, who is currently a corporate affairs and sustainability adviser with Woodside Energy.