Thursday, March 15, 2012

Don't Forget Mr David Gonski Is The Current Chairman of NEHTA.

A day or so ago the AFR published a review of Mr Gonski's board roles and previous links and boards.
You can review the article and graphic here:
http://afr.com/p/national/gonski_to_chair_future_fund_XOeSzNI2y1IbvNuynFCFwN
Here are the first few paragraphs of the associated article.

Gonski to chair Future Fund

Laura Tingle Political editor

March 14, 2012 

Federal cabinet last night confirmed prominent businessman David Gonski as the new chairman of the $73 billion Future Fund in a controversial appointment which bypasses the fund’s founder, Peter Costello, and other existing board members.
The government has also appointed Morgan Stanley managing director and chief executive Steve Harker to fill another position on the fund’s board.
Treasurer Wayne Swan and Finance Minister Penny Wong last night confirmed reports in The Australian Financial Review that the ­government had opted for an outsider, Mr Gonski, to replace the founding chairman, David Murray, rather than one of the fund’s ­“guardians”. They include Mr Costello and Goldman Sachs Australia and New Zealand chairman Stephen Fitz­gerald.
Senator Wong said the appointments brought “a unique combination of experience and strategic insight across business, corporate governance and investment markets and will position the board well for the opportunities and challenges ahead”.

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The number of roles - which actually does not even mention NEHTA - is just amazing. And now the chair of the $73 Billion Future Fund as well.
I wonder how much time, effort and insight was put in with NEHTA given all the other roles? Will he now leave? My view is that he should - given the large extra role he now has.
I wonder will having been the NEHTA Chair for the last few years come back to bite? We will see!
David.

4 comments:

  1. Perhaps he has forgotten he is Chair of NeHTA. That could easily happen if most of the time the NEHTA Board meetings were Chaired by the Deputy Chair ... whoever that might be. The Minutes of the NEHTA Board Meetings would clarify that if they were available for scrutiny!!!

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  2. If he IS actually chairing the NEHTA Board, then he is not doing a good job of overseeing the spending of those funds and ensuring value for money and making people accountable for their actions. Beggars belief then what he would do with all in the money in the Future Fund!!!!!!

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  3. It is important to be clear what the specific role of a Board Chair is, which relates to ensuring rules of good governance are followed, not to make operational decisions about what an organisation. Gonski is not the CEO.

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  4. Governance is only part of the role. That has not been done well for mine given there is no real e-health expertise on the board to review and challenge the CEO plans. There should be I believe.

    Strategic direction setting, financial accountability and ensuring proper stakeholder input and consultation and so on are also in there. To do it properly in an organisation with 300+ staff is a significant task.

    David.

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