❓ Question regarding a Show Cause Notice delivered to the Town of Cambridge concerning workplace culture and recruitment issues. The answer refers to a report of inquiry and a record of interview, but does not directly answer the questions about evidence and procedural fairness.
AnsweredQoN 6486Legislative 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 d) the working environment at the Town has negatively affected the Town’s ability to recruit employees, including employees to fill senior executive positions and backfill positions when employees are on leave or acting opportunities are available;”, 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)(d) 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)(d) 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 the Report of the Inquiry into the Town of Cambridge part 6.1 and paragraphs 230 – 239.
230. On commencement of the Inquiry in April 2018, senior administration staff was as follows:
a. Mr Jason Buckley, CEO
b. Mr Chris Colyer, Director of Infrastructure
c. Ms Marlaine Lavery, Director of Planning and Development
d. Mr Jason Lyons, Director Corporate and Strategic
e. Mr Cam Robbins, Director Community Development
f. Mr Brett Jackson, Director of Projects
231. On 9 April 2018, CEO Mr Jason Buckley’s employment was suspended and on 10 April 2018 Mr Jason Lyon was appointed the acting CEO.
232. On 8 June 2018, council appointed Mr John Giorgi as Acting Chief Executive Officer, and appointed him permanently to the role on 15 May 2019.
233. On 30 June 2018, Mr Brett Jackson resigned from his position at the Town.
234. On 27 July 2018, Mr Jason Lyon resigned from his position at the Town.
235. On 30 November 2018, Mr Chris Colyer resigned and Mr Michael Hayward was employed into the role on 21 January 2019.
236. On 12 February 2019, a new administrative organisational structure was adopted at a Special Council Meeting, abolishing the Director of Projects position and amalgamating or restructuring other roles.
237. On 10 June 2019, Mr Michael Hayward resigned from the Town and Mr Peter Maloney acted in the role of Director of Infrastructure and Works and until the employment of Mr Kelton Hincks on 4 February 2020.
238. In the council minutes for the 30 April 2019 council meeting, it was reported that from the time John Giorgi was appointed Acting CEO to the time of the meeting, 27 staff had voluntarily resigned, and nine administration staff had been made redundant.
239. During his voluntary record of interview, CEO John Giorgi said the turnover of staff at the Town of Cambridge was much more than he had experienced in his executive career to date.
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: When it went to council, it was a nine/nil vote, but the mayor spoke against him because she wanted to clean everyone out. That was what she wanted. Now, unfortunately, [name] - he's a sensitive sort of a guy and I said, "[name]," as I said to you before, "I could have picked anyone else, easy for me, come in, move on." The mayor probably wouldn't be happy after they muck up or something, I don't know, but she was not happy that I stood up to her and I said, "Keri, I pick the staff," and I picked him for a whole range of reasons; (1) is the corporate knowledge; and (2) his work ethic and so forth. I said, "I tried him out for 12 months."
Now, with the planning director, I don't believe that at times they read the politics. They take this approach that, "I'm the professional planner and that's my recommendation. Take it or leave it." Now - to which I've said to them, "You've got to administer your planning requirements and make your reports to your professional ability, but if you're going that way and the council is going that way, we are going to have problems," and that's where we're at at the moment with the planning, you know, a la the SAT matters and so forth. Now, the planning situation is a mess. A lot of it is interpretation.
(b) No
(c-d) No
(d)(i-ii) Not applicable
(e) Please refer to Legislative Assembly question on notice 6477
230. On commencement of the Inquiry in April 2018, senior administration staff was as follows:
a. Mr Jason Buckley, CEO
b. Mr Chris Colyer, Director of Infrastructure
c. Ms Marlaine Lavery, Director of Planning and Development
d. Mr Jason Lyons, Director Corporate and Strategic
e. Mr Cam Robbins, Director Community Development
f. Mr Brett Jackson, Director of Projects
231. On 9 April 2018, CEO Mr Jason Buckley’s employment was suspended and on 10 April 2018 Mr Jason Lyon was appointed the acting CEO.
232. On 8 June 2018, council appointed Mr John Giorgi as Acting Chief Executive Officer, and appointed him permanently to the role on 15 May 2019.
233. On 30 June 2018, Mr Brett Jackson resigned from his position at the Town.
234. On 27 July 2018, Mr Jason Lyon resigned from his position at the Town.
235. On 30 November 2018, Mr Chris Colyer resigned and Mr Michael Hayward was employed into the role on 21 January 2019.
236. On 12 February 2019, a new administrative organisational structure was adopted at a Special Council Meeting, abolishing the Director of Projects position and amalgamating or restructuring other roles.
237. On 10 June 2019, Mr Michael Hayward resigned from the Town and Mr Peter Maloney acted in the role of Director of Infrastructure and Works and until the employment of Mr Kelton Hincks on 4 February 2020.
238. In the council minutes for the 30 April 2019 council meeting, it was reported that from the time John Giorgi was appointed Acting CEO to the time of the meeting, 27 staff had voluntarily resigned, and nine administration staff had been made redundant.
239. During his voluntary record of interview, CEO John Giorgi said the turnover of staff at the Town of Cambridge was much more than he had experienced in his executive career to date.
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: When it went to council, it was a nine/nil vote, but the mayor spoke against him because she wanted to clean everyone out. That was what she wanted. Now, unfortunately, [name] - he's a sensitive sort of a guy and I said, "[name]," as I said to you before, "I could have picked anyone else, easy for me, come in, move on." The mayor probably wouldn't be happy after they muck up or something, I don't know, but she was not happy that I stood up to her and I said, "Keri, I pick the staff," and I picked him for a whole range of reasons; (1) is the corporate knowledge; and (2) his work ethic and so forth. I said, "I tried him out for 12 months."
Now, with the planning director, I don't believe that at times they read the politics. They take this approach that, "I'm the professional planner and that's my recommendation. Take it or leave it." Now - to which I've said to them, "You've got to administer your planning requirements and make your reports to your professional ability, but if you're going that way and the council is going that way, we are going to have problems," and that's where we're at at the moment with the planning, you know, a la the SAT matters and so forth. Now, the planning situation is a mess. A lot of it is interpretation.
(b) No
(c-d) No
(d)(i-ii) Not applicable
(e) Please refer to Legislative Assembly question on notice 6477
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