❓ Question regarding the evidence used to issue a Show Cause Notice to the Town of Cambridge, specifically concerning allegations of Mayor's intimidation of employees. The answer refers to a report and interview, denying evidence from organizations and stating no prior notification or opportunity to respond was given.
AnsweredQoN 6483Legislative Assembly
Asked
15 October 2020
Member
Portfolio
Local Government; Heritage; Culture and the Arts
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Show Cause Notice delivered to the Town of Cambridge on 26 May 2020, in which you write “3. I suspect that the Council has failed to ensure that the workplace culture at the Town is free from intimidation of employees and undue pressure on employees. In particular b) The conduct of the Mayor towards the Town’s employees led to the CEO telling the Mayor that if her conduct continued, he would report it to WorkSafe;”, and I ask: (a) Without disclosing the author of any evidence you received, how many witnesses provided evidence to you, and on what date(s), in relation to: (i) (3)(b) above; (b) Was any evidence received which was provided on behalf of an organisation(s)? If yes, what organisation and on what dates(s) in relation to: (i) (3)(b) above; (c) Prior to issuing the Show Cause Notice on 26 May 2020, did you notify the Town of Cambridge Council that you had received this evidence, and if yes, when did you notify them; (d) Prior to issuing the Show Cause Notice on 26 May 2020, did you provide an opportunity for the Mayor and/or Councillors of the Town of Cambridge to respond to the evidence you received: (i) If yes, who did you receive responses from and on what date(s); and (ii) If you are unable to provide names for (i) above, how many Councillors did you receive a response from which directly related to the evidence you received; and (e) If no to (d), how was procedural fairness provided to the Mayor and Council of the Town of Cambridge to respond to the evidence you received?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 November 2020
Responded by
Minister for Local Government; Heritage; Culture and the Arts
Response time
12 days
(a) I refer to paragraph 67 of the Report of the Inquiry into the Town of Cambridge:
67. In relation to the Mayor’s relationship with the administration staff, CEO John Giorgi reported:
a. There is a perception that you don’t cross the Mayor because she is very quick to criticise.
b. He has told staff to be careful and not give the Mayor an opportunity to find fault.
c. He has told the Mayor to back off, or he will report the situation to Worksafe.
I also refer to the Record of Interview of Mr John Giorgi and Authorised Persons, Wednesday 4 March 2020 and the following statements:
MR GIORGI: It's a difficult one to answer. I don't like working in an adversarial environment and I've said on more than one occasion, "Keri, the staff don't come in to do," excuse my language, "a shit job. If they make a mistake, they're human nature. If they make a mistake then e look at it and try and learn from it." Unfortunately, the mayor has got this personality if she doesn't like you, she denigrates the person and whether it's community development or the quarry amphitheatre - there's a person there who's in her eighties (indistinct) has complained about every staff member, to which just recently I sent this person a letter saying, "You're bullying and harassing my staff," and I said, you know, and I know she goes to the mayor and the mayor comes in and berates me or whatever and tries to make an issue of it.
And I said, "The last time that came up," I said, "Keri, if you continue with this, I will not only report it to WorkSafe, I'll do it myself. You've got to back off."
(b) No
(c-d) No
(d)(i-ii) Not applicable
(e) Please refer to Legislative Assembly question on notice 6477
67. In relation to the Mayor’s relationship with the administration staff, CEO John Giorgi reported:
a. There is a perception that you don’t cross the Mayor because she is very quick to criticise.
b. He has told staff to be careful and not give the Mayor an opportunity to find fault.
c. He has told the Mayor to back off, or he will report the situation to Worksafe.
I also refer to the Record of Interview of Mr John Giorgi and Authorised Persons, Wednesday 4 March 2020 and the following statements:
MR GIORGI: It's a difficult one to answer. I don't like working in an adversarial environment and I've said on more than one occasion, "Keri, the staff don't come in to do," excuse my language, "a shit job. If they make a mistake, they're human nature. If they make a mistake then e look at it and try and learn from it." Unfortunately, the mayor has got this personality if she doesn't like you, she denigrates the person and whether it's community development or the quarry amphitheatre - there's a person there who's in her eighties (indistinct) has complained about every staff member, to which just recently I sent this person a letter saying, "You're bullying and harassing my staff," and I said, you know, and I know she goes to the mayor and the mayor comes in and berates me or whatever and tries to make an issue of it.
And I said, "The last time that came up," I said, "Keri, if you continue with this, I will not only report it to WorkSafe, I'll do it myself. You've got to back off."
(b) No
(c-d) No
(d)(i-ii) Not applicable
(e) Please refer to Legislative Assembly question on notice 6477
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