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CS Energy chair’s texts exposed after Callide Power Station explosion

Explosive text messages reveal high-level government communications kept from public view after Queensland's Callide Power Station disaster.

Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki in budget estimates on Tuesday. Picture: John Gass/NCA NewsWire
Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki in budget estimates on Tuesday. Picture: John Gass/NCA NewsWire

The LNP’s hand-picked chair of CS Energy was texting minister Ros Bates after an explosion at the maligned Callide Power Station, raising questions about how much information the government kept from Queenslanders.

Former deputy premier Jeff Seeney – now the deputy chairman of CS Energy – was in contact with Ms Bates on April 7 and again on April 9, according to text messages disclosed at budget estimates.

This was immediately after Unit C3 at Callide Power Station exploded on April 4 – an incident Queenslanders were not told about until days later.

At the time, Energy Minister David Janetzki was slammed for not revealing the explosion during a 25-page speech he gave on energy policy, or at a subsequent press conference on April 8.

The text messages between Mr Seeney and Ms Bates, who served together in the previous LNP ministry, state: “Hey Ros – hope things are good for you,” followed by a redacted paragraph and “but if you need anything more from me I’m happy to catch up”.

Further messages including screenshots of an online article detailing the explosion by The Australian were sent two days later with the message: “Hi Ros – this is going to be in the Aus tomorrow.”

Jeff Seeney and Ros Bates in 2010.
Jeff Seeney and Ros Bates in 2010.

It was later revealed the April 7 texts, captured under right to information laws, were related to the Callide Power Station, but not the C3 explosion.

Opposition energy Spokesman Lance McCallum asked whether Mr Janetzki was contacted by any board members of CS Energy prior to April 8.

Mr Janetzki reviewed the texts, before confirming that: “neither shareholding minister received text messages in relation to the incident from the CS Energy board prior to 8 April 2025”.

“My diary is clear when I met with the board of CS energy, and that’s on the public record,” Mr Janetzki said.

“It was clear that holding statements, media releases, it all gravely understated the gravity of the position and what had happened and that was not just the board that had been misled, it was senior management being misled, and obviously ministers.”

CS Energy CEO Darren Busine and Callide Power Station general manager Mick Hill resigned over the incident.

New CEO Brian Gillespie told the estimates hearing Mr Busine’s termination payout would be disclosed in CS Energy’s annual report, due to be published shortly.

“I believe that the CEO actually received a termination benefit, as was his contract and long service leave,” he said.

Ms Bates is due to appear at budget estimates on Wednesday.

Originally published as CS Energy chair’s texts exposed after Callide Power Station explosion

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/queensland/cs-energy-chairs-texts-exposed-after-callide-power-station-explosion/news-story/4566d7e57ef94cc1a34f0b29eb79924b