Sounds like Parramatta City Council was a great place to work... For some...

"The professional and personal lives of Sydney's self-described Pink Ladies have been examined in forensic detail for all to see.

"Over the past five weeks, the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has held a public inquiry into misconduct allegations against City of Parramatta former CEO Gail Connolly and other staff.

"Her friends and senior council staff Roxanne Thornton and Angela Jones-Blayney were also subject to the corruption watchdog's probe.
...
"The former CEO is alleged to have terminated staff in dishonest circumstances to benefit herself or others.

"She is also accused of misusing public funds to facilitate the exit of council staff through deeds of release for personal advantage or to benefit others, and of disclosing confidential information to third parties.
...
"Ms Connolly is alleged to have authorised chief technology officer John Crawford to conduct covert surveillance over people she regarded as threats, obstacles or disloyal shortly after she was appointed CEO.

"Mr Crawford said the work could take up to 30 hours a week and involved accessing phone records, emails and Teams messages of people like Parramatta councillor Kellie Darley.

"The inquiry heard Cr Darley was in January 2024 a vocal opponent to the city's proposed $1.15 million sponsorship of the Parramatta Eels rugby club, whereas Ms Connolly was a strong proponent of the partnership.
...
"Mr Crawford described the workplace at Parramatta as "psychologically unsafe", saying he had "lost confidence in the moral compass of the organisation" by the time he left.

"The inquiry heard Ms Connolly also authorised covert surveillance of staff member Sheree Gover, who made bullying complaints against Ms Thornton and Ms Jones-Blayney.

"The inquiry heard Ms Jones-Blayney subsequently accused Ms Gover of enlisting others to make complaints about her in an attempt to have her job terminated.

"Ms Connolly told the inquiry she then authorised Mr Crawford to search Ms Gover's email and Teams messages to obtain evidence of the alleged coercion.
...
"Much of Ms Connolly's evidence has been in answer to allegations she and others misused public funds to facilitate the exit of council staff through deeds of release to the benefit of others.

"One of those exits was HR boss Bernadette Cavanagh, who the inquiry heard was suspected to be a source involved in a media story raising concerns about Ms Connolly's appointment as CEO.
...
"Councillors were told Ms Cavanagh had resigned, despite her redundancy payment of $350,000.

"Ms Connolly told the inquiry she had not trusted council not to leak information about Ms Cavanagh's reasons for exit."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-13/insights-from-icac-inquiry-parramatta-council-ex-ceo-and-staff/106776608

#auspol #nswpol #icac

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... #news #NSWpol #Aus

NSW police force rife with ‘ha...

Chris "the Philistine" Minns strikes again.

One of Australia's leading professional vocal ensembles is closing, because the NSW Premier was unwilling to chip in $190,000 to keep it afloat.

Seems playing the role of a fiscal conservative on right-wing talkback radio stations is more important than the arts.

And he has form in this area.

He previously threatened to end funding for regional galleries.

He's already said he'll cut public art at stations on the Western Sydney Metro line to save a few thousand dollars on a multi-billion-dollar project.

And now this.

Minns has consistently been to the right of Gladys, instead of on the side of the wage earners of NSW.

"Established in 1984, The Song Company has long struggled to remain viable.

"It entered voluntary receivership in 2019, and a source familiar with the matter said it was unsuccessful in its application for a two-year funding from Create NSW in 2025. Observers in the music sector say The Song Company is the canary in the coal mine, and other ensembles are living hand to mouth.

"The announcement also comes two weeks before the Australian Design Centre finally closes its doors after 60 years, having not received sufficient federal and state funding to continue operating.

"About 25 per cent of The Song Company’s revenue came from government funding. In the 2024 calendar year, it received $190,000 from the NSW government, according to its latest financial report – a significant bump after receiving $114,000 in calendar year 2023."

https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/deeply-disappointing-arts-company-folds-after-more-than-four-decades-20260610-p605hv.html

#art #arts #auspol #nswpol #chrisminns #nsw #australia

NSW Police have admitted to battery, false imprisonment and causing “harm and damage” to former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas, who suffered permanent eyesight damage during an unlawful arrest https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/police-admit-harm-and-damage-to-hannah-thomas-after-protest-arrest-20260608-p604r2.html #auslaw #nswpol #auspol