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Most influential SPECIAL REPORT
FEATURE
F
FE
EATU
AT
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Most influential
F E AT U R E
CHALLENGE: Mark McGowan was joined early this month by two of his most senior ministers, Roger Cook (left) and Ben Wyatt, when the government
outlined its initial response to the coronavirus. Photos: Gabriel Oliveira
Power rests with a select few
This year’s Most Influential feature has been narrowed
down to the 50 people in WA making the biggest impact
in business and politics.
invested, and some are able to As chairman and major Some people assert that the Mr McGowan’s power stems
influence public opinion. shareholder at Fortescue Metals ‘super rich’, such as Mr Forrest from the thumping election
The 50 people profiled in this Group, Mr Forrest leads one of the and fellow billionaire Gina win he achieved in 2017 and
feature wield influence in at least state’s largest companies. Rinehart, and big corporations his ability to stay ahead of the
one of these ways. Fortescue is a big investor in like BHP, Woodside and Chevron opposition.
There is no scientific or Western Australia, with billions of effectively rule the roost in WA. The 52 year old shows the
objective way to draw up these dollars going into projects such as These people and companies benefits of serving a lengthy
lists. But it is useful to ask Iron Bridge and Eliwana, and a big are undoubtedly very influential, political apprenticeship, having
questions such as this. If someone employer with nearly 4,300 workers. but they do not top our list. spent years as a minister and on
phoned the prime minister’s As a co-founder of the Minderoo the opposition benches before
Mark Beyer WA government
office, would the call be put Foundation with his wife, winning power.
mark.beyer@businessnews.com.au
@AMarkBeyer through? And if that person Nicola, Mr Forrest is a globally Mark McGowan has been He has captured the middle
called a press conference, would signif icant philanthropist, premier for three years and is ground of WA politics: he hasn’t
4-PAGE FEATURE they get onto the evening news? committing hundreds of millions odds-on favourite to win another delivered everything the unions
I
NFLUENCE can be wielded There are very few people to his chosen causes. four-year term at the 2021 state and the greenies wanted, nor
in many ways. Some people for whom the answer would And he has the ear of election. has he delivered everything the
have a big say over govern- undoubtedly be yes. government, with the cashless He leads a government that business lobby has wanted, but he
ment policy settings, others can Andrew Forrest is one person welfare card a notable example is united and effective, if not has given something to all these
influence where money gets who meets all of these tests. of his influence. inspiring in its achievements. groups.
32 | February 17, 2020
FEATURE
D B USINESS IN
A N FLU
A L EN
IC CE
IT Roger Cook
L Deputy Premier, Rob Scott
R
O Health Minister Wesfarmers C EO
S
P
Rita Saffioti Kerry Stokes
IN
10
Transport Chairs Seven Group,
and Planning Minister Seven West Media
P
W
TO
A
Mark
McGowan
Premier
Peter Coleman
Ben Wyatt Woodside CEO
Treasurer
Gina Rinehart
Hancock Prospecting
Mathias Cormann
Finance Minister,
Govt leader in
Senate
Mr McGowan’s Papalia hold key
success as premier Andrew and Nicola Forrest portfolios.
has been aided by some Christian Porter Minderoo Group, chairs Fortescue As opposition leader,
quality ministers, none more Attorney General Metals Group Liza Harvey plays an
so than Treasurer Ben Wyatt. important role. Having taken
Mr Wyatt has been widely over from Mike Nahan, her ability
applauded for the fiscal repair to hold the government to account
job he has implemented,
implemented capping Mr Cook around and punch holes in Labor’s record
growth in government spending has implemented planning will help determine the outcome
and reversing the rise in state debt. multiple reforms, none approvals and higher of the next state election.
He has even managed to more notable than the voluntary She helped devise and is now density.
complete several big privatisation assisted dying laws. More implementing one of Labor’s Other influential ministers Behind the scenes
deals, in the energy and land importantly, however, the public signature policies, the Metronet include Sue Ellery, despite Guy Houston is the premier’s
titles sectors, without greatly health system is seen to be public transport network, several slip-ups, and Alannah chief of staff. He has been Mr
upsetting Labor’s left. running more smoothly under though the lack of on-the-ground MacTiernan, helped by a McGowan’s right-hand man since
Deputy Premier and Health his watch. construction work on new rail lines high public profile and can- 2012, making him more powerful
Minister Roger Cook has been Transport Minister Rita has left her exposed to criticism. do reputation, while Mines than many ministers.
another strong support for the Saffioti is another linchpin in the Ms Saffioti is also driving Min ister Bill Joh n s to n
premier. McGowan government. reform in the property sector and Tourism Minister Paul Continued on page 34
February 17, 2020 | 33
FEATURE MOST INFLUENTIAL
BOARDROOM: Wesfarmers chairman Michael Chaney DEVELOPERS: Adrian Fini (left) and Dale Alcock are major players in the property sector
is one of Australia’s most respected company directors. and are working together on a new Leederville office.
Power rests with
as one of the government’s top Rob Scott has overseen big Built from scratch by executive
ministers. changes since taking the helm chairman Bill Beament, the gold-
a select few
Linda Reynolds’ star is on the at Wesfarmers in 2017, although miner is worth more than $10
rise, having been promoted to not all have delivered results for billion. Mr Beament’s latest move
minister for defence in May last the conglomerate. His biggest was buying half of Kalgoorlie’s
From page 33 road unionists who help support year. strategic move, the $780 million famed Super Pit, reinforcing his
the McGowan government. Michaelia Cash has kept a purchase of lithium company status as an industry leader.
Mr Houston is a former ABC She runs the United Workers lower profile during the past Kidman Resources, is looking ill Rod Jones has an enviable
journalist and media adviser to Union (formerly United Voice), year, having been caught up in timed. reputation as the founder of global
premiers Gallop and Carpenter, the dominant bloc in WA Labor’s several politically damaging Kerry Stokes isn’t your average education services company
but also worked for Chevron and powerful ‘broad left’ faction. controversies, but has retained business leader. A self-made Navitas. Last year he bought
sent his children to an elite private Other union leaders, such as her spot in cabinet. billionaire, his control of Seven back the company with the help
school (the kind of background Maritime Union boss Christy As Minister for Indigenous West Media gives him extra clout. of private equity. He also had the
that suits a government holding Cain, make more noise but wield Australians, Ken Wyatt holds a Woodside boss Peter Coleman ear of the premier, successfully
the middle ground). much less influence. high public profile, but it is yet is aiming to leave his mark on the pushing the government to
Darren Foster is director to be seen whether he wields real state by driving the multi-billion reverse contentious migration
general of the Department of the Federal government influence inside cabinet. dollar Browse and Scarborough rules.
Premier & Cabinet, making him Western Australians are Former WA Liberal party state gas projects. Other chief executives holding
the state’s most powerful public strongly represented in the secretary Ben Morton shot to Gina Rinehart polarises big commercial influence are
servant. federal government, with five prominence as a key adviser to opinion but her commercial Mineral Resources boss Chris
Mr Foster was a deputy DG in cabinet ministers from WA. Prime Minister Scott Morrison impact is beyond question. She Ellison, South32’s Graham Kerr,
the fisheries department before As finance minister and leader during the federal election. has become one of Australia’s Austal’s David Singleton and
being seconded to DPC in March of the government in the Senate, He has since been appointed wealthiest people by building Jimmy Wilson of CBH Group.
2017. Mathias Cormann is one of assistant minister to the prime a highly successful mining and
More telling in his resume the most influential people in minister and cabinet. pastoral business. Company directors
was the four years he spent as Canberra, despite backing the Under the leadership of Michael Chaney established
Mr McGowan’s chief of staff wrong man (Peter Dutton) in the WA business Elizabeth Gaines, iron ore miner his reputation as a business leader
up to 2008, and the many years 2018 leadership battle. He is also The people who run WA’s Fortescue Metals Group has while he was chief executive
he worked for former Labor a powerbroker in the WA Liberal big gest compan ies w ield overtaken Woodside to be WA’s of Wesfarmers and has since
treasurer Eric Ripper before that. Party. significant influence, courtesy of second biggest listed company become one of Australia’s most
Carolyn Smith has been WA Attorney- G enera l and the money they invest, the people with a market value of $33 billion. respected company directors.
Labor president since June 2017 Industrial Relations Minister they employ and the returns they Another WA success story Having served as chairman
and represents the middle-of-the- Christian Porter also ranks deliver to shareholders. is Northern Star Resources. of Woodside and National
34 | February 17, 2020
MOST INFLUENTIAL FEATURE
GLOBAL: As managing director of Chevron Australia, Al Williams represents one of the MINING: Edgar Basto has been acting president of BHP’s
world’s largest companies. mining operations in Australia since November last year.
Australia Bank, and chancellor Their business decisions have a Far more significantly, it is an impact. He put commercial list their property manager,
of the University of Western huge flow-on effect through the haggling with Woodside and development back on Perth’s Primewest. With added financial
Australia, he has returned to his state’s economy. other joint venturers over radar with the ABN Group firepower, their group will only
old company as chairman. This makes their Perth-based development of the giant Browse headquarters in Leederville, get bigger.
Another former Wesfarmers executives some of WA’s most LNG project. was part of the syndicate that Frank Marra led the merger of
chief executive, Richard Goyder, influential people. Chevron and BHP have developed new entertainment LandCorp and the Metropolitan
has also become a leading Edgar Basto has run BHP’s WA been identified as the two venue The Rechabite, and is Redevelopment Authority, and
company director, as chair of iron ore division since 2016. He members of the North West gearing up to start construction now heads of one of the state’s
Woodside, Qantas and the AFL. has been acting president of the Shelf consortium that are at the Murdoch Health & most powerful government
Former Rio Tinto chief Sam group’s entire Australian minerals playing hardball over terms for Knowledge Precinct. agencies, DevelopmentWA.
Walsh has taken a slightly business since November last year, processing Browse gas. Mr Fini has also made a big Chris Pa l a n d r i leads
different path. He is the first when Mike Henry was promoted Shell is another big player in contribution to revitalising the construction giant Multiplex,
Westerner to have joined the to chief executive. the energy sector, in both WA and eastern end of the CBD through which has built many of Perth’s
board of Japanese giant Mitsui, Mr Basto’s counterpart at Rio on the east coast. his Historic Heart initiative. iconic structures, including
which is a major investor in WA Tinto is Chris Salisbury, who has Since the start of this year, Dale Alcock heads the state’s Optus Stad ium , the new
gas, iron ore, salt, and forestry been chief executive of its iron Queenslander Tony Nunan has second largest home building museum and Chevron’s new
projects. He is also chair of Gold ore product group since 2016. been Shell Australia chairman. group and is developing a new headquarters.
Corporation and the Australia Mr Salisbury is a 30-year He succeeded Zoe Yujnovich, headquarters in Leederville.
Council for the Arts. veteran at Rio with very little who became one of the most He uses his profile to speak on Judiciary
Some of WA’s most influential public profile outside the mining prominent women in Australian broader development issues and, Cor r upt ion a nd Cr i me
women are professional directors. sector, but he doesn’t need profile business during her three years in as chairman of the Fremantle Commissioner John McKechnie
Diane Smith-Gander’s board to exert influence in his role. the role, speaking out on a range Dockers, has driven big changes has had a big impact, overseeing
roles include being a director Al Williams started as Chevron of policy issues. at the AFL club. multiple inquiries that have
of Wesfarmers; she has used Australia managing director in Another global company to Paul Blackburne is the most forced the government to act.
her profile to become a strong January last year. have changed local leadership is energetic and vocal apartment Chief Justice Peter Quinlan
advocate for gender equity in Since Mr Williams moved to Alcoa, which appointed Michael developer in Perth. His One has responsibility for a court
business. Perth, Chevron has backed the Gollchewski vice-president of its Subiaco project is a real catalyst system that affects the lives of
construction of a $360 million extensive Australian operations. for the rejuvenation of one of many Western Australians.
International business office tower at Elizabeth Quay. the city’s most iconic suburbs. James Edelman is one of the
Global businesses such as BHP, He has also been the public face Property Several developers have tried to youngest people to be appointed
Rio Tinto, Chevron and Shell are of Chevron’s support for the arts Adrian Fini is certainly not make the site work and failed. a High Court judge and will have
among the largest investors in sector, notably through the Perth the biggest property developer John Bond and David Schwartz a big say in how Australia’s laws
WA. Festival. in Perth but his projects have braved a tough IPO market to are interpreted in years to come.
February 17, 2020 | 35
Most influential
SPECIAL REPORT
SEARCH most influential
There are 318 results from our index of 101,804 articles,
10,103 companies and 38,034 people
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