Ex-Perth Mint chief executive Richard Hayes left the government-owned gold refiner after it burnt through $100 million of taxpayers’ money in a dysfunctional technology upgrade project that is now six years overdue with the cost blowouts buried within the organisation’s accounts.

Mr Hayes, who signed on for another five-year contract with the Perth Mint last November, resigned suddenly on October 13 citing health reasons, with employees told he would leave the gold refiner in April next year.