Listed: 13 high-profile SA dismissals or resignations – where are they now?
Radio personalities, sporting stars and politicians – these are the biggest names to depart some of the state’s most cutthroat industries. See what they are doing now.
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Bec Morse’s children thought she was dead.
“I’m sorry to hear about your mum,” the text message Morse’s eldest daughter Grace received from a school friend read.
The well-known media personality had just found out she had been axed from her role as a Channel 10 news presenter.
“(Grace) immediately thought either I had been in an accident or the worst, that I’d been killed,” Morse said.
Three years on from delivering her final television bulletin Morse has spoken to The Advertiser about how losing her job shot her confidence.
But said after her daughter’s momentary horror passed the moment “gave some perspective”.
“My kids thought that I had gone (died), so losing a job at the end of the day is not that serious,” she said.
The mother-of-three was made redundant alongside Will Goodings under sweeping changes at the network in 2020.
“There was a lot of shock, there was a lot of sadness,” she said when she got the phone call signalling her 14 year tenure was over.
“It wasn’t just for myself because many of my friends and colleagues were also being let go on the same day so it was feeling sad for them as well.”
That day Morse and her colleagues “went to the Havelock (Hotel) and had shots”.
Following her dismissal from the Adelaide newsroom, Morse said her confidence took a hit.
“When you lose your job it feeds into any existing insecurities that you might have,” she said.
“You don’t realise how much your self-worth is tied up in your job.”
With members of the public coming up to console her, Morse said it was difficult to process privately but she “appreciated the love and support” as it lessened the emotional toll.
“I would also have people come up to me in the street saying they were sorry about what had happened and it meant that I couldn’t really escape it,” she said.
While her television career came to an abrupt end, Morse has continued on as SAFM Breakfast co-host, a post which she held simultaneously before her dismissal.
And said she had been able to achieve “better work life balance”.
Morse is among many high profile South Australians who have found themselves out of a job.
Alongside television, government, business and sport are cutthroat fields and listed here are some of the biggest dismissals or resignations from the last two years and what these industry heads, union bosses and an athlete, are doing now.
Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello
Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello was dumped from his SAFM breakfast radio show in October when the station announced he had left the The Bec, Cosi and Lehmo show effective immediately.
At the time he took to his South Aussie with Cosi Facebook page to discuss the move.
“I’ve just been told SAFM has decided to push on in 2023 without the Bec, Cosi and Lehmo breakfast show,” he wrote.
“I’ve loved SAFM so much since I first walked in the doors as a pig farmer from Kadina 23 years ago. They gave me my start in the media and it’s been a wonderful run since then. I wish them well.”
Talking to The Advertiser earlier this year about his next move Cosi was in high spirits.
“Since leaving SAFM I can honestly say I’ve never been happier,” he said.
“It’s allowed me to focus on other parts of our business, spend more time with the kids and more time with my sheep.”
The former pig farmer, whose radio career kickstarted 24 years ago after he won a contest on SAFM’s brekkie show, has returned to the airwaves partnering with Mix 102.3’s Ali Clarke Breakfast Show on special projects throughout the year.
Plus he’s continued to work on his top-rating TV travel show South Aussie with Cosi and his two charities Cows for Cambodia and Cows for Botswana.
Julian Carbone
Long-serving Burnside councillor Julian Carbone resigned after a bikini social media scandal in July last year.
He took down his Instagram account – claiming he was hacked – after it was revealed it had allegedly been used to send an inappropriate message to an underage girl and was also following female accounts claimed to be run by teenagers.
During the debacle, a 17-year-old Adelaide Hills resident complained to Burnside Council, resulting in a $11,500 legal investigation which found he had breached its code of conduct.
After three-days of sustained media coverage – triggered by an exclusive report in The Advertiser – the former fruit and vegetable wholesaler and Liberal Party member tendered his resignation to Burnside mayor Anne Monceaux.
In a statement, Ms Monceaux said the media coverage surrounding Mr Carbone had “taken its toll on many people”.
In a Facebook post, Mr Carbone said it had all been “one big unintentional mistake a lack of due diligence and just simply, naivety”.
Jackie Becher
The St Andrew’s School principal stepped down on July 1, 2022 amid an investigation into her conduct.
Ms Becher was the subject of a three-month investigation – led by former senior deputy president of the Fair Work Commission Matthew O’Callaghan.
The investigation came after staff and parents made more than 20 complaints, including about bullying, against her.
At the time, in an email to staff, Ms Becher wrote “in the best interests of the school and my own health and wellbeing, I have decided it is time for me to move on to the next chapter of my career”.
The school’s board confirmed the investigation “did not sustain any of the bullying allegations against Ms Becher”.
She is a senior principal at EtonHouse International Education Group, a post which she has held since 2014.
Leah York
The secretary of SA teachers’ union resigned after she was caught on camera in a Mount Gambier shop appearing to stuff a handbag and an orange top into a shopping bag in March 2023.
At the time of the incident, police confirmed they were investigating after Leah York was seen taking a knit jumper, worth more than $100, and a $280 handbag from clothing store Lima & Co.
No charges have been laid. The investigation is ongoing.
Ms York described the incident as a “misunderstanding” over her need to urgently use the toilet, which prompted store owner Lisa Attard to review CCTV of Ms York’s entire time in the shop.
She also resigned from her position on the board of Funds SA, which manages the superannuation of public sector workers, and faced calls to resign from her union job.
Cathy Taylor
Cathy Taylor’s resignation was announced in January with the embattled boss finishing up in April after serving almost seven years at the helm of the Child Protection Department.
She left her post following The Advertiser’s Save Our Kids campaign which exclusively revealed almost 60 children who were known to the department had died in the past four years.
The campaign, launched in August 2022, has been calling on the state government to deliver on five elements, including appointing a new DCP chief executive.
In a statement, Ms Taylor said her time in the role “has been one of the most rewarding periods of my career”.
“The work we do requires significant expertise and commitment. It’s a job that our staff do day in, day out, driven by the desire to help those children and young people who are most vulnerable in our community,” she said.
“There needs to be a balance in celebrating the good work done by child protection staff as it can be incredibly difficult work.”
Child Protection Minister Katrine Hildyard said in a statement Ms Taylor had “consistently strived to make improvements amid really challenging issues impacting South Australian children, young people and their families”.
“Child protection is a difficult area of public policy that requires deep personal commitment,” she said.
“I wholeheartedly thank Ms Taylor for her nearly seven years of dedicated service.”
Ms Taylor oversaw the state’s under pressure child protection system since she was appointed by the previous Labor government in October 2016.
She is now based in Brisbane as an independent implementation supervisor at the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General, a position she took up shortly after her departure from the DCP.
Ms Taylor will oversee the implementation of the Queensland government’s response to a review and investigation into how police handle domestic and family violence.
Tim Whetstone
In January Tim Whetstone was stood down as opposition road safety spokesman after losing his licence for speeding in September 2022.
The SA Liberal Party confirmed Mr Whetstone only brought the issue to its attention more than three months after it occurred.
He said he had not told Opposition Leader David Speirs about the matter because the Riverland MP was “fully consumed” with the flood crisis.
“It has been a stressful time with everyday commitments and also dealing with preparations to keeping my communities as best prepared as possible,” he told The Advertiser in January.
“I accumulated demerit points over a three-year period primarily due to me having an over ambitious diary agenda that eventually caught me out. I regret this situation has occurred and have served the penalty.”
The Advertiser understands most of the traffic offences were for low-range speeding and none have been heard in front of a court.
He was appointed as the opposition spokesman for Trade and Investment and the member for Chaffey in January.
It was a post he held in the previous Liberal opposition government.
Craig Randall II
The Adelaide 36ers star import Randall was axed after just six games, amid a series of arguments and blow ups with coach CJ Bruton, assistant coaches and teammates and a refusal to fit in with the game plan.
Randall, 27, who even scored 35 points in the 36ers’ memorable win against NBA’s Phoenix Suns, caused friction among teammates during the season.
On November 8 last year, the club confirmed it had agreed to part ways with the player by mutual consent.
“The decision has been made in the best interests of Craig and the club moving forward and for Craig to pursue other opportunities at the highest level,” the club said in a statement.
“The 36ers organisation would like to thank Craig for his time at the club and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”
Randall now plays for the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League in the US, which he joined in February.
Marina Sologub
The Irish citizen working as a space industry consultant for Marion Council was ordered to leave Australia by the nation’s spy agency in February.
The Australia Intelligence and Security Organisation had raised security concerns about procurement officer Marina Sologub’s links to Russia.
It is understood ASIO had told the federal government to expel Ms Sologub because she “could pose a direct or indirect threat to national security”.
Born in Kazakhstan, Ms Sologub, 38, arrived in SA from Ireland on a state government sponsored migrant visa in 2020.
In a statement, the council’s acting chief executive, Ben Keen, confirmed Ms Sologub’s employment with the council had been terminated.
“After she advised (us) of her visa situation, her access to all council devices was logged out and the devices reset as per council procedure,” Mr Keen said.
“The City of Marion has taken the appropriate steps to cease her contract.”
Ms Sologub, who is being held at a Melbourne detention centre, has repeatedly denied being a spy and vowed to clear her name.
The Advertiser is not suggesting Ms Sologub was involved in any illegal activity or espionage, only that concerns about her were raised by ASIO.
Nick Reade, Dr Chris McGowan, Leonie Muldoon and Tony Braxton-Smith
Nick Reade, and a host of other senior government officials were sacked as part of shake up following Labor’s election win.
The former Department of Premier and Cabinet boss, Mr Reade, was relieved of his duties in April 2022.
Along with Mr Reade, Premier Peter Malinauskas sacked Dr Chris McGowan, the health boss leading the state’s world-leading pandemic response.
The state’s two highest paid public servants were dismissed along with Department for Trade and Investment chief executive Leonie Muldoon and Infrastructure and Transport head Tony Braxton-Smith.
“Each and every person in these roles has worked incredibly hard in difficult circumstances, and I thank them for their service,” Mr Malinauskas said at the time.
Mr Reade is now the head of the RAA and began his role leading the automobile association in August 2022.
He took over from Ian Stone, who retired after 15 years at the helm.
Ms Muldoon has been working as director of Enabling Services NSW Ombudsman since January.
Mr Braxton-Smith’s LinkedIn profile lists him as an independent advisor.
Mr McGowan has not updated his profile since his departure.
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