Independence or statehood? Nominees carry scars of border dispute
Roy Masters
July 1, 2011
Queensland's Terry Mackenroth has admitted that while he was treasurer of the state, he appointed Mark Williamson - the controversial candidate to rugby league's inaugural commission - to the board of a state-owned power generator. Mackenroth, an ARL board member, is one of four members of a sub-committee that selected the eight-person independent commission and is expected to be most influential in the QRL when it becomes a tier under the new ruling body.
Williamson's position on the commission has been opposed by Sydney-based NRL clubs and the NSWRL but is supported by News Ltd and the QRL in a dispute that threatens to scuttle the code's new ruling body and delay the media company's exit from the game. Another commission candidate, Peter Gregg, is listed as a board member of the same Queensland utility, Stanwell Corporation, although Mackenroth denies appointing Gregg to the billion-dollar power generator and disputes whether the former Queensland Treasury official still serves on its board.
Williamson is also a former director of another Queensland government-controlled board, Mackay Ports Ltd, but Mackenroth, a long-term Labor powerbroker, said he had no role in the appointment of the former Ansett and Optus executive to the second board.
When the
Herald put to Mackenroth this week that he is rumoured to be the godfather of Williamson's children, he lampooned the suggestion, insisting their relationship was casual, but did not reveal the Stanwell Corporation link. Yesterday, he said of Williamson's past and present appointments, ''I thought he had the qualities of a good director and I still do.'' The wily Mackenroth, who was in the Queensland parliament from 1977 to 2005 and became treasurer in 2000, describes as laughable any link between Gregg's position at Treasury from 1973 to 1988 and his time there. ''Gregg worked in Treasury under Joh,'' Mackenroth said in reference to the then premier, Joh Bjelke Petersen. ''I don't believe Gregg is still on the board of Stanwell, and he was appointed after I left.''
Gregg's CV, prepared by executive search team Spencer Stuart and distributed to ARL board members, lists Stanwell as one of Gregg's board positions but does not record his appointment to the board of Queensland Rail by the Bligh Government in 2009. Spencer Stuart's John Mumm, a director of the Australian Rugby Union, was commissioned to prepare the short list of candidates. John Grant, another Queensland candidate and possible chair of rugby league's new ruling body, has been appointed to three boards under the Beattie/Bligh Labor Governments, but his strong background in information technology supports these positions.
The Sydney challenge to Williamson raises questions of whether commissioners are being chosen for their independence or statehood.
Queensland has been allocated two commissioners, mocking the very process of achieving an independent body and turning it into a State of Origin charade.
Williamson's links with News Ltd, via its past ownership of Ansett and the Cowboys - where he served on the board - has raised suspicions with NRL club chairmen. Mackenroth describes this as ''the longest bow ever'', saying, ''[News Ltd Chief Operating Officer] Peter Macourt had never heard of him when his name came up.'' Four of the eight-person commission have Queensland links, with Grant and Williamson living in Brisbane. Gregg spent more than half his life there and Gary Pemberton lives on the Gold Coast.
However, the highly respected 71-year-old Pemberton can also claim to having been a former chairman of the NSW TAB.
Former players short listed were Brisbane's Gavin Allen, Steve Renouf and Shane Webcke; St George's Mark Coyne; Canberra's Laurie Daley; Rothmans medallist Mike Eden; Penrith's Ryan Girdler and Newcastle's Paul Harragon and Mark Sargent. Penrith and Queensland's Petero Civoniceva was the only active player listed, while coaches Daniel Anderson, formerly of Parramatta and Michael Hagan, the Queensland assistant coach, were included. ''Prospects from other sports'' listed were netballers Liz Ellis and Anne Sargeant; AFL's Paul Roos; cricketers Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh, and the rugby league media officer with the Blues, Tristan Hay, was mentioned as being someone of merit.
:lol::lol: some of those names:crazy::crazy:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...der-dispute-20110630-1gt4a.html#ixzz1QgsJXWan
