GREENS leader Kim Booth has questioned Hydro Tasmania bosses over an unexplained $425,000 payout contained in the company’s annual report. Mr Booth repeatedly pressed Hydro chairman Grant Every-Burns for details of the transaction, pushing him to confirm or deny whether it was a termination payment made to former chief executive Roy Adair. Mr Adair stepped down from the company in June last year, with a year to go on his contract. It is understood Mr Adair was not going to be offered a second term, and was paid out the rest of his contract as part of the mutually agreed split. Mr Every-Burns would not comment on the payment, or rule out that it was paid to the former chief executive. Energy Minister Matthew Groom also resisted being drawn into the question, but Mr Booth persisted. ‘‘Why can’t you go any further? It’s a reasonable question to ask if it’s $425,000 of public money,’’ Mr Booth said. ‘‘Was that a termination payment for Mr Adair? Why did Mr Adair leave? What were the circumstances around that?’’ Mr Booth asked whether Mr Adair’s departure was a result of his handling of the mothballed King Island wind farm proposal. Again, Mr Every-Burns would not comment. ‘‘You’ve drawn an assumption there that I won’t even comment on, and I’m not in a position to make any further announcements on,’’ he said.
GREENS leader Kim Booth has questioned Hydro Tasmania bosses over an unexplained $425,000 payout contained in the company’s annual report.
Mr Booth repeatedly pressed Hydro chairman Grant Every-Burns for details of the transaction, pushing him to confirm or deny whether it was a termination payment made to former chief executive Roy Adair.
Mr Adair stepped down from the company in June last year, with a year to go on his contract.
It is understood Mr Adair was not going to be offered a second term, and was paid out the rest of his contract as part of the mutually agreed split.
Mr Every-Burns would not comment on the payment, or rule out that it was paid to the former chief executive.
Energy Minister Matthew Groom also resisted being drawn into the question, but Mr Booth persisted.
‘‘Why can’t you go any further? It’s a reasonable question to ask if it’s $425,000 of public money,’’ Mr Booth said.
‘‘Was that a termination payment for Mr Adair? Why did Mr Adair leave? What were the circumstances around that?’’
Mr Booth asked whether Mr Adair’s departure was a result of his handling of the mothballed King Island wind farm proposal.
Again, Mr Every-Burns would not comment.
‘‘You’ve drawn an assumption there that I won’t even comment on, and I’m not in a position to make any further announcements on,’’ he said.
Energy Minister Matthew Groom and Hydro chairman Grant Every-Burns at yesterday’s government business scrutiny hearings. Picture: DANIEL McCULLOCH
