Monday 3 March 2014

Local government déjà vu


In December 2013 Clarence Valley Council was before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission in a matter of an unfair dismissal application. General Manager Scott Greensill attended the court on the day.

This matter bore a passing resemblance to another matter reported three years earlier and still in newspaper archives:



Author: By JOANNE McCARTHY
Date: 19/11/2010
Words: 233
Source: NCH

   

   
Publication: Newcastle Herald
Section: News
Page: 13
SINGLETON Council is in hot water over its handling of complaints and staff suspensions at the Singleton Swim and Gym.

A woman has lodged a complaint with the NSW Ombudsman's office after Singleton Council general manager Scott Greensill warned she would be suspended from the council-owned facility if she continued to question the council's investigation of harassment and intimidation allegations by some staff.
The woman complained to the Ombudsman alleging she was adversely named in the investigation, but not interviewed, and her original complaint to the council about alleged intimidation of her daughter was not investigated.
"For any government body to adequately investigate a matter, surely at some stage in the process the victim or alleged victim would be contacted," the woman wrote.
The woman expressed concern at the outcome of the investigation, with one suspended staff member reinstated, and another dismissed. In her letter to the Ombudsman the woman supported the dismissed employee who had initiated unfair dismissal action against the council.
The woman was distressed on receiving a letter from Mr Greensill on November 5 saying she risked suspension from the facility if she continued to complain to the council.
"The operational matters you refer to are solely matters for the general manager of this council and no further comment will be made," Mr Greensill said in his letter to the woman.
The council did not respond to a request for comment.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Yes, very worrying and extremely frightening.