Former Labor staffer lands $550,000 a year job to run SA’s hydrogen power plant

The state government has appointed a former Labor staffer whose dad was an ALP minister to a plum role in the state’s hydrogen power plant – on an eye-watering salary.

A former Labor staffer whose father was an ALP minister has been appointed to a $550,000-a-year job spearheading the state government’s $593m hydrogen power plant.

Sam Crafter, also a former Santos executive, has been named chief executive of the Office of Hydrogen Power South Australia, reporting directly to Energy and Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis.

His appointment follows an Opposition accusation of “jobs for the boys” over veteran Labor staffer and former candidate Rik Morris’s switch to a $354,145-a-year job to head the newly created Premier’s Delivery Unit.

In a statement to parliament, Mr Koutsantonis hailed Mr Crafter’s “unique skill set”, including “significant experience at senior levels in the energy sector within government and the private sector.

“His expertise in implementing energy reforms will be drawn upon as the government progresses the development and construction of the hydrogen facilities and formally establishes the Hydrogen Power South Australia as a government business enterprise,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

Tom Koutsantonis.. Picture: NCA NewsWire / DEAN MARTIN

In March, Labor nominated the steel city of Whyalla as the site for its $593m hydrogen power station, arguing the government-owned and operated plant would drive new jobs and industry for the state.

At the time, Labor leader Peter Malinauskas labelled the proposed power station a “significant asset for our state” that would generate more than 11,000 jobs by kickstarting renewable energy and hydrogen export industries.

Mr Crafter, whose father Greg held portfolios including education in the Bannon and Arnold Labor governments, was a policy and government adviser during a seven-year career at Adelaide-based energy firm Santos.

He also was principal economic adviser to the-then Labor premier Jay Weatherill from 2014-17, then headed a team implementing the Labor government’s power plan that included Tesla chief Elon Musk’s “big battery” near Jamestown, in the state’s Mid North.

Mr Koutsantonis said the Office of Hydrogen Power South Australia, as an attached office to the Department for Energy and Mining, would oversee the development and construction of the government-owned hydrogen facilities.

He said this would allow the government to progress the initial stages of the plan until Hydrogen Power South Australia transitioned into a government business enterprise that would own and operate the hydrogen-fuelled power plant, electrolyser, and storage facility.

Originally published as Former Labor staffer lands $550,000 a year job to run SA’s hydrogen power plant