The NSW local government minister has requested an investigation into the appointment of former Liberal state minister Andrew Constance as Shoalhaven City Council CEO.
Local state and federal Labor representatives say they have been “overwhelmed” by community backlash.
Shoalhaven Greens is represented on Council by Debbie Killian who was unable to be at the meeting where Mr Constance’s appointment was voted on. Here is her statement:
“Mr Constance is not an appropriately qualified person to take the administrative reigns at our troubled Council,” she said. “He has not directly managed any public service organisation as far as I am aware, let alone had a management role in local government.
“The environment of local government is widely diverse in functions, highly regulated, and steered by councillors who naturally have varied experience and understanding of the things for which Council is responsible.
“It’s not remotely similar to the role of a government minister who oversees policy direction and does not have to worry about details.”
Ms Killian, who was sworn in as a Councillor on 16 September, was on a long-planned trip overseas when the decision to appoint Mr Constance was taken.
She had been notified by email to advise her of the confidential meeting on 29 September and its purpose. Killian was well aware of the importance of this meeting and immediately investigated her options for participation.
“I was travelling around Morocco by bus with no access to mobile phone and data roaming,” she says. “The tour schedule had us travelling on the bus through the High Atlas Mountains at the time of the meeting. The bus wifi coverage would not have sustained my participation, and even if it had, I felt uncomfortable about participating in an environment which provided no confidentiality.
“Of course, I regret not having been able to participate in this momentous decision, especially as the vote was so close and the outcome far from good.
Ms Killian says she has heard there were many applicants for the position, at least some with local government experience.
“I understand that the first selected applicant refused the offer of a contract and from what Clr Proudfoot said in his interview with The Spark, at least one other qualified applicant withdrew late in the process.
“What has been going on since this Council took over last September?
“Starting with the treatment and eventual resignation of CEO Robyn Stevens in November and flowing down through the senior team and to many very competent and experienced staff at lower levels, we have seen the organisation gutted.
“Efforts to paint this as a problem stemming from the previous Council are not credible – the losses have been in the past 12 months and now it seems local government professionals don’t want to take up contracts with us.”
Ms Killian said Mr Constance’s highly political profile has been rejected more than once by the community. “It seems from the outcry about his appointment that there is widespread doubt about his ability to give the impartial advice we have a right to expect of our senior public servants.”
Shoalhaven Greens 