Western Australian Premier, Mark McGowan, has announced his resignation midway through his second term, citing exhaustion as his reason for stepping down as Premier, Treasurer and the Member for Rockingham.
Mr McGowan made the shock announcement on 29 May 2023, saying that it would be his final week as Western Australian Premier.
“I’ve loved the challenge of solving problems, making decisions, getting outcomes and helping people,” Mr McGowan said.
“But the truth is, I’m tired – extremely tired. In fact, I’m exhausted.”
Mr McGowan said the role of political leadership was relentless and that the COVID-19 years had taken it out of him.
Western Australia Deputy Premier, Roger Cook, Health Minister, Amber-Jade Sanderson, and Transport Minister, Rita Saffioti, are among the frontrunners to succeed Mr McGowan.
Industry response
The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) has congratulated Mr McGowan on his 26-year parliamentary and ministerial career as he brings down the curtain on his tenure as Premier of Western Australia.
AMEC Chief Executive Officer, Warren Pearce, said, “Mr McGowan has achieved a great deal for Western Australia and will be remembered for a great many achievements in public life across a long political career.
“Our members will especially remember his extraordinary leadership during COVID-19, and his personal commitment to keeping the Western Australia mining and mineral exploration industry open and operating safely.
Mr Pearce said the early decision supported Australia’s economy through the pandemic, and enabled Western Australia to emerge from the pandemic with one of the strongest economies in the world.
“It also set up Western Australia’s mining industry to take advantage of new global opportunities in critical mineral and downstream processing and enabled it to thrive when much of the mining industry around the world was closed down.
“Beyond COVID-19, his genuine commitment to work with and collaborate with industry, has helped to diversify the state’s economy and to attract significant new investment into Western Australia.
“On behalf of AMEC and all of our members we would like to thank the premier for his commitment to the state of Western Australia and for a lifetime of public service. We wish him and his family all the best as they enter a new chapter,” Mr Pearce said.
The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia’s (CME) Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca Tomkinson, paid tribute to Mr McGowan following his resignation announcement.
“Mr McGowan has made significant contributions to Western Australia since taking the top job in 2017 and throughout his decades of public service,” Ms Tomkinson said.
“On behalf of CME and its members, I congratulate the Premier on his successful tenure as Western Australia’s leader and thank him for his support of the Western Australia mining and resources industry, particularly during the covid-19 period.
“Throughout COVID-19, the collaboration between industry and the Western Australia Government enabled critical sectors like resources to continue to operate whilst protecting the safety and health of the workforce and community.
“This helped the Western Australia economy remain stable during that very difficult period, and ensured the sector was able to continue to underpin the strength of the nation’s economy.
“CME has greatly valued the collaboration and engagement with the premier, and looks forward to continuing to work closely with the Western Australia Government and the new leadership.”
Mineral Resources’ Managing Director, Chris Ellison, congratulated Mr McGowan on his six years as Premier of Western Australia and thanked him for his long tenure of dedicated public service.
“During the pandemic, and throughout his premiership, Mr McGowan led a government focused on solving problems and working with business to get things done.
“Western Australia is without a doubt a stronger and more successful state because of Mr McGowan’s hard work and pragmatic leadership.
“I’m confident Mr McGowan will continue to make a big contribution outside of the political arena and I wish him all the best on the next stage of his career,” Mr Ellison said.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA) Chief Executive Officer, Chris Rodwell, acknowledged the clear leadership of Mr McGowan following his decision to resign.
“Mr McGowan departs the office of Premier with remarkable backing from across Western Australia, including the business community. This reflects his many achievements as Premier and Treasurer. Good governments ensure strong state finances, on the principle that this is critical to a thriving economy.”
Mr Rodwell said Mr McGowan’s leadership improved the state’s financial position.
“From the outset, alongside former Treasurer Ben Wyatt, he set about restricting operational expenditure and devising a clear strategy for debt reduction. Western Australia now boasts the most enviable set of books in the nation, and our AAA credit rating is reinstated.”
“His capacity to draw support from the Federal Government has been outstanding. Mr McGowan served Western Australia through the pandemic with determined leadership, protecting the community and ensuring our resources sector continued to operate, providing ballast to our economy and protecting thousands of jobs.
“Western Australia’s emergence from the pandemic has been outstanding. We are a bright spot in the global economy and our re-engagement with the world has been outstanding. CCIWA wishes Mr McGowan and his family all the best in future.”
