Queensland Rail management warned against reappointing operations chief

FIVE years ago, Queensland Rail’s departing CEO issued a clear warning about Kevin Wright. Yesterday, he resigned from his role as executive general manager of operations following the recent timetable debacle.

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QUEENSLAND Rail was warned by departing chief executive officer Paul Scurrah in 2011 it would be a “big mistake” to put Kevin Wright back in charge of operations.

But Mr Wright returned to the job the moment Mr Scurrah left, despite Mr Scurrah’s email to then board chairman Stephen Gregg as a “list of things to keep an eye on”.

Kevin Wright

Mr Scurrah identifies Mr Wright as the “biggest issue” to QR’s executive leadership team working together “as a team that supports and works to One Queensland Rail”.

“The biggest issue here at present is Kevin’s behaviour as he sees the new leadership as an opportunity to move back to Rail Operations,” Mr Scurrah warns in the 2011 email. “This would be a big mistake if it were to occur.”

Mr Scurrah declined to comment on the email, however it is believed he had concerns about a lack of succession planning by Mr Wright and his negative influence on the QR culture.

Former Queensland Rail CEO Paul Scurrah left the board a “list of things to keep an eye on”. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Mr Wright had shifted out of operations into a project ­delivery role while Mr Scurrah was in charge. The shift occurred about a year before Mr Scurrah’s email warning.

But Mr Wright was promoted to executive general manager of operations after Mr Scurrah left. He is then ­believed to have hand-picked a new train service delivery manager in 2012.

That manager was stood down in October amid the timetable chaos, with QR chief executive officer Helen Gluer and board chairman Michael Klug resigning soon after.