New members of Playford Council meeting in secret amid harassment saga that led to CEO’s suspension

Newly-elected members of Playford Council are meeting for the first time tonight to discuss in secret the council’s bullying and harassment saga that led to the suspension of its chief executive.

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• Council CEO Mal Hemmerling stood down over workplace safety

Newly-elected members of Playford Council are meeting for the first time tonight to discuss in secret the council’s bullying and harassment saga that led to the suspension of its chief executive.

The meeting is the third behind closed doors on the matter since the previous council voted on November 5, just days out from council elections, to suspend Dr Mal Hemmerling for “serious and wilful” misconduct.

Dr Hemmerling has been stood down on full pay from his $366,287-a-year post pending an independent inquiry into claims against him of bullying, harassment and mismanagement.

That investigation came months after Dr Hemmerling, who denies any wrongdoing, was accused of harassing a female employee.

The notice for tonight’s meeting at the Playford Civic Centre at Elizabeth was uploaded on to the council’s website this afternoon.

The title of the only agenda item is “workplace safety”.

Staff have recommended the public be banned from the meeting stating that disclosure of information could “reasonably be expected to prejudice the maintenance of law”.

Mayor Glenn Docherty declared a perceived conflict of interest and left the meeting while the matter was discussed by the council’s 15 elected members.

.@PlayfordCouncil mayor @GlennDocherty has declared a perceived conflict of interest over the Mal Hemmerling workplace dispute and left a special meeting of newly-elected councillors on the matter, which is continuing behind closed doors. pic.twitter.com/aonQiNdiWL

— Col James (@ColinJamesTiser) November 21, 2018

The meeting was chaired by councillor Gay Smallwood-Smith, who was one of six councillors who attended two confidential meetings before this month’s council elections which culminated in the suspension of Dr Hemmerling.

The other nine councillors either did not seek re-election or were not successful in their bid to rejoin council.

Details of what was discussed during the meeting were not released on the grounds of confidentiality.

Playford Council mayor Glenn Docherty and suspended chief Mal Hemmerling earlier this year. Picture: AAP Image/Morgan Sette

The council and Mr Docherty have repeatedly refused to answer questions about the dispute with Dr Hemmerling, which has cost ratepayers more than $200,000 for multiple inquiries into senior management involving at least four law firms and several mediation companies.

Local Government Minister Stephan Knoll, who first learned of the problems in The Advertiser, has declined to intervene or comment.

But Labor’s local government spokesman, Tony Piccolo, whose electorate covers Playford, urged him to help broker a quick resolution for the “sake of the residents and ratepayers”.

“Councils should be focused on the needs and aspirations of their residents and ratepayers, and not waste valuable resources on political infighting,” he said.

“Stephan Knoll’s response to this matter has been disappointing to say the least. He owes it to the residents and ratepayers of … Playford to ensure this crisis does not further destabilise the council.

“Clearly, some cultural change needs to occur at the council.”

Mr Knoll said Mr Piccolo should “refrain from commenting whilst an independent investigation is underway and as such I won’t be providing any further comment”.

The Advertiser revealed yesterday that Dr Hemmerling’s lawyer Greg Griffin is challenging the council’s appointment of rival firm Norman Waterhouse to help it defend any legal dispute with the CEO.

Mr Griffin claims Norman Waterhouse has a “conflict” because it had previously declined a request by Dr Hemmerling in August to provide advice on internal misconduct within the organisation, on the grounds it had advised on his employment contract.

He wrote to the firm on Tuesday threatening legal action, including an injunction, if it did not withdraw its service.