The Governing Body

The Authority is a body corporate with perpetual succession. It is an agent of the State and has the status, immunities and privileges of the State.

The Authority’s Governing Body consists of a full-time Chairman and such other members as the Governor of Western Australia considers necessary for the proper performance of the Authority’s functions.

The Governing Body determines the policies, controls the affairs and otherwise performs the functions of the Authority.

On 8 March 2004, Mr Lyndon Rowe was appointed as the full-time Chairman for a period of five years.

The two part-time Members are:

  • Mr Chris Field, who was appointed for five years on 8 March 2004; and
  • Mr Steve Edwell, who was appointed for five years from 17 January 2006.

Mr Lyndon Rowe

Chairman

Mr Rowe has an honours degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide, South Australia. Before being appointed Chairman, he was Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA since 1990.

After working for the National Bank and Flinders University in South Australia, ( Mr Rowe came to Perth to teach Economics at the WA Institute of Technology (now Curtin University of Technology).

Mr Rowe has a strong interest in labour economics, microeconomics, education and training and has published a number of papers dealing with Australia’s industrial relations system. He was the recipient of the 1999 Austin Holmes Award awarded by the Economic Society of Australia (WA), and was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and to commerce and industry in 2003.

In addition to his role at the Authority, Mr Rowe is also a member of the University of Western Australia Senate, Chairman of Sevenoaks Senior College Board and a Director of Perth Airport.

Mr Chris Field

Member

Mr Field holds Arts and Law (Honours) degrees from La Trobe University, Victoria. Until June 2005, Mr Field was the Executive Director of the Consumer Law Centre Victoria, a position he held for seven years. In that role, he was widely regarded as Australia’s leading consumer advocate. In that role he spoke regularly on competition and consumer issues and was a leading national media commentator.

In addition to his role at the Authority, ( Mr Field is the immediate past Chairman of the Australian Consumers’ Association (a position he held for four years), a Director of the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (since 2001), the Chairman of the Consumer Utilities Advocacy Centre (since 2005) and an Adjunct Professor at La Trobe University.

He also undertakes selected consultancy work. Mr Field has recently undertaken consultancy work for the Victorian Department of Justice, including major research reports on consumer advocacy and alternative dispute resolution.

Mr Field publishes regularly on competition, regulatory and consumer issues and is the "Consumer Dealings" section editor of the Australian Business Law Review.

Mr Steve Edwell

Member

Mr Edwell has a Commerce and Economics Degree from the University of New South Wales and an MBA from the University of Queensland.

Mr Edwell has more than 15 years experience in reform of utilities, in particular electricity and water, where he has driven a number of comprehensive reform projects and has worked in both the public and private sectors.

In addition to his role at the Authority, Mr Edwell is the inaugural Chair of the Australian Energy Regulator, a position he has held since 23 May 2005.

Immediately prior to this appointment, he worked for the Western Australian Government leading the implementation of comprehensive electricity reform.

Mr Edwell was also the CEO of the Queensland Electricity Reform Unit, which implemented a range of electricity reforms that culminated in Queensland joining the National Electricity Market. His other assignments have included being commissioned by the Queensland Government to implement the Council of Australian Governments’ water reforms and as head of the Queensland Office of Energy.