Former Cairns CEO John Andrejic snubbed, replaced
Cairns councillors have unanimously voted to part ways with mayor Amy Eden’s former campaign adviser as top boss, replacing him with a highly experienced chief executive, set to start next month.
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Cairns councillors have unanimously voted to part ways with mayor Amy Eden’s former campaign adviser as top boss, replacing him with a highly experienced chief executive, set to start next month.
At a special meeting held in Cairns Regional Council’s chambers on Thursday morning, councillors voted to appoint former North Sydney, Mackay and Toowoomba councils CEO, Ken Goldthourp, to the role.
Mr Gouldthorp beat out incumbent and early favourite John Andrejic to the key civic post, who was appointed interim chief executive by a panel chaired by Ms Eden in May.
In June, the Cairns Post exclusively reported that a whistleblower had referred the selection process to the Office of the Independent Assessor, citing a conflict of interest between Ms Eden and Mr Andrejic.
Local Government Minister Meaghan Scanlon later confirmed that the matter had been passed on to the Crime and Corruption Commission.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Mr Andrejic.
Ms Eden did not attend the meeting, having already been recused from the selection process in August.
It was in August that councillors went against the mayor, voting to dissolve her CEO recruitment panel, instead opting to engage recruitment agency, Davidson, and carry out the process independently of her.
In Ms Eden’s place, the special meeting was chaired by deputy Brett Olds, who then fronted the media without the mayor in attendance.
Asked if it was the right decision to remove Ms Eden from the process to name its future CEO, Mr Olds said the council’s actions had ultimately yielded the right result.
“The majority of the council decided that there was a conflict between the mayor (and Mr Andrejic),” Mr Olds said.
“There were a couple of us that didn’t think there was a conflict, that she would make the best decision for Cairns’ council.
“But in a democracy, the majority rules. It has to be the right decision because that is the decision of the council.”
The incoming boss will have his hands full, with several major projects, including the recently commenced $472m Cairns water security project requiring immediate attention.
“We’ve not only got the natural disaster season just days away … we’ve got a budget to deliver in seven months’ time,” Mr Olds said.
“You saw what the last one was like (a 6.7 per cent rate rise). We’ve got EBA negotiations, Bedminster (waste facility) is being decommissioned in 2026.
“We’ve got a lot of serious things coming up. We’re very confident that Ken’ll be able to handle all that.”
In a council-issued statement, the mayor said Mr Gouldthorp would assume the role at a critical time for the city.
“Mr Gouldthorp has an understanding of the challenges faced by local governments and the
delivery of major infrastructure projects, as well as experience in disaster recovery,” Ms Eden said.
It is understood that Mr Andrejic is on a fishing trip and will not return, with director of People and Organisational Performance Christine Posgate to assume the role in his absence.
“We’ll pay John out the rest of his contract,” Mr Olds said.
Andrejic loyalists, including the LNP’s Far North chairman Colin Ford and business identity Greg Nucifora both attended the meeting, with the pair shaking hands with Division Two councillor Matthew Tickner before taking their seats in the public gallery.
The duo then swiftly departed after it was revealed that Ms Eden’s confidante had been unsuccessful in his attempt to snare the top job.
Mr Gouldthorp, who has been involved in local government for more than 20 years, is expected to start in early November.
While serving as Toowoomba Regional Council’s chief executive, Mr Gouldthorp co-ordinated local disaster responses during the January 2011 floods.
He subsequently implemented a $175m infrastructure flood recovery program, while maintaining the council’s ongoing annual capital works program.
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Originally published as Former Cairns CEO John Andrejic snubbed, replaced
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