Split between Perrottet and Kean bursts into the open over energy appointment

An internal split between Dominic Perrottet and Matt Kean has burst into the open as the treasurer refused to back the appointment of former Snowy Hydro boss Paul Broad as a special adviser.

In an extraordinary rebuke of the premier, Kean would not support Perrottet’s decision to hire Broad to a specially created role in the premier’s office to advise on energy and infrastructure projects.

“The premier is a great captain and Paul Broad is his pick for a staffer ... look what he has done for Snowy 2.0,” Kean, who is also energy minister, told question time when responding to a question from Labor.

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has described the appointment of ex-Snowy Hydro boss Paul Broad as a captain’s pick.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Broad unexpectedly quit as chief executive of Snowy Hydro in August as tensions escalated with federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen, including over Labor’s insistence the new Kurri Kurri gas plant in the Hunter uses green hydrogen.

His departure also came as the project faced significant delays and budget blowouts.

Broad, who was appointed by Perrottet while Kean was overseas at the United Nations climate summit, has been a critic of NSW’s energy road map, which provides long-term contracts for renewable generation and grid services.

Former Snowy Hydro boss Paul Broad.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Broad has called the plan, devised by Kean, “fundamentally flawed”. He also backed the former federal government in its push for a large new gas-fired power plant in the Hunter.

Kean read about Broad’s appointment on Twitter while he was on a plane.

Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes a Court seized on the appointment of Broad as one of several recent environmental issues that will be a “gift” for the teal movement in NSW.

Holmes a Court said this week: “Until recently, it’s been hard for the teals to find strong differentiation in states with almost-good-enough environmental credentials like NSW”.

However, he said putting “Angus Taylor’s gas man in the premier’s office” was a black mark against the government in terms of its environmental credentials.

Several seats in Sydney’s north, including North Shore, Lane Cove, Wakehurst, Pittwater and Manly are considered under threat from teal independents in the March election.

Holmes a Court also singled out the government’s plans to raise the Warragamba Dam and pursue new private native forestry laws as the other chinks in NSW’s environmental armour.

However, the government was forced into a humiliating backdown over native forestry after upper house MP Fred Nile refused to back a bill on Monday, guaranteeing it would have failed on the floor of parliament.

The bill was seen by many as a revival of the so-called koala wars, which bitterly divided the Coalition in 2020.

Asked on Sunday about Broad’s appointment, Perrottet said he was “highly regarded, and his experience in water, engineering and infrastructure is second to none in this country”.

Perrottet said Broad’s remit included raising the Warragamba wall and ensuring the $3.5 billion Narrabri gas project was online as soon as possible.

Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.