Mr Wyatt has been a sought-after individual following his political retirement and even prior to pulling up stumps on a 15-year parliamentary career in which he was once touted as a future premier.
Prior to Mr Wyatt pulling up stumps at parliament there had been suggestions he was approached by Mineral Resources for a possible board role.
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Mr Wyatt,who has a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and worked as a lawyer,had a major hand in the drafting of the soon to be introduced revision of WA’s Aboriginal Heritage Act.
Woodside operates in a unique situation with its Karratha Gas Plant on the Burrup Peninsula,which is home to the highest concentration of rock art in the world with some pieces dating back more than 50,000 years.
The company has been lobbying for the minister to keep the final decision when Aboriginal groups and industry disagrees on whether heritage sites can be damaged in favour of developments.
The Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation,which is made up of members from five Aboriginal language groups in the Pilbara,has been pushing for world heritage listing of the Burrup and has raised concerns around the inequality of traditional owners with big business when it comes to state and federal laws.
MAC,in a submission regarding the latest draft of the new act,stated it would rather see decisions on cultural heritage be made by an independent body.
“It is of great concern to MAC that the minister is not an independent party and is a member of a government which has a vested economic interest in the outcome of decisions about impact to Aboriginal cultural heritage,” it said.
Woodside says decisions should continue to be made by the minister of the day but is was in support of stronger protections for Aboriginal people as well as the world heritage listing of the Burrup.
Anthony Collins,a Perth campaigner for the international environment organisation 350,said the revolving doors that existed between the WA government and Woodside were extensive.
“As a result we are disappointed but not surprised that Ben Wyatt has been named as non-executive director for Woodside this morning,” he said.
“What we find shocking is the speed with which Mr Wyatt has accepted this role,less than three months after holding the position of state treasurer.
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“Moving from a position of such power,with no cooling off period,is incredibly inappropriate. Any decisions made by the state government regarding Woodside’s operations should be heavily scrutinised,transparent and open to public consultation as a result of this appointment.”
A report by 350 last year,titled Capture State,was compiled through freedom of information requests and detailed lobbying efforts by outgoing chief executive Peter Coleman to lobby the government on carbon offsets.
Mr Wyatt’s former chief of staff Roger Martin also worked at Woodside for 12 years including a stint as the vice president for corporate affairs.
Woodside recorded a $27,500 donation to the WA Labor Party in 2019-20.
Mr Wyatt will be considered for election as a non-executive director at Woodside’s 2022 AGM. He was approached for comment.