Gold Coast City Council reveals new CEO, former Tasmanian Government chief Tim Baker

The ink is dry on the contract of Gold Coast City Council’s new CEO who will bring youth, and strong relationships to the table, despite involvement in multiple public sector bungles.

Leading Tasmanian bureaucrat Tim Baker will begin his role as Gold Coast City Council CEO in February next year.

Mayor Tom Tate in an email to council employees on Monday morning confirmed the appointment of Mr Baker.

The new CEO for the Gold Coast City Council has been announced to staffers. Tim Baker, a senior bureaucrat with the Tasmanian Government, has been chosen from the final list of five candidates.

The Bulletin understands the contract details were finalised on Friday and Mr Baker given the weekend to inform family and work colleagues about his new job.

The appointment to the Coast’s top bureaucrat job was by a unanimous vote of councillors. Sources suggest councillors were impressed by Mr Baker’s current role, responsible for the care of Tasmania’s parks and world heritage areas, along with his ability to secure federal government funding for major job projects.

“He stood out as best candidate because of his custodianship of world heritage areas and national parks. On paper, this is a relaxed young public service leader. He has connections with the federal government,” a council source told the Bulletin.

“The range of his previous roles blends itself with a city (the Gold Coast) covered almost 50 per cent by vegetation. Councillors viewed him as Liberal-aligned, but closer to the middle than the right.”

Mayor Tate in his email to staffers wrote: “Tim is currently the Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Tasmania, one of that State’s largest government departments. Prior to this position Tim held a range of senior roles in the Tasmanian public service including Chief of Staff to Premier Will Hodgman and Deputy Secretary of the Department he now heads up.

“Tim’s current role includes management of approximately 50 per cent of Tasmania’s land and sea country, with responsibility for almost 2000 employees, a vast asset base and including in excess of 20 commercial businesses and statutory entities.

“Tim reports to four Ministers, sits on multiple Boards and has extensive Local, State and Commonwealth government experience.”

Mayor Tate said Mr Baker’s qualifications included a Bachelor of Information Systems from the University of Tasmania, and he had completed the Executive Leadership Program at Stanford University, California.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Council sources suggest these credentials will help in the overhaul of council’s technology systems.

“Tim will relocate to the Gold Coast with his family in January and he commences as CEO on February 1, 2022. I know you will join me in congratulating Tim and give him your full support when he takes up the role,” Mayor Tate wrote.

In the meantime, Joe McCabe is to continue as Acting CEO having led the city’s administration since March this year.

Mr Baker told the Bulletin: “I am honoured to have been chosen for one of the biggest local government roles in Australia and look forward to getting on with the job.

“Like many Australians, I have been a regular visitor to the Gold Coast from a young age, and along with my wife and children I look forward to soon becoming a permanent resident of the beautiful Gold Coast.

“The 2032 Olympic Games will bring significant opportunities that must be leveraged so the Gold Coast gets the legacy benefits.

“At the same time, I know that residents expect the day to day services to be maintained to the highest possible standard and I look forward to leading a responsive organisation that provides first class service and value for ratepayers’ money.”

Mr Baker, as secretary of DPIPWE was also embroiled in a Liberal Party scandal, where a major party donor, the Kalis Group, was allowed to fly workers into the then-Covid locked down Tasmania, for construction work.

Mayor Tom Tate told the Bulletin: “I look forward to working with Tim as we continue to deliver a low rates future while providing the frontline services ratepayers and residents expect.”

Mr Baker’s appointment follows the departure of David Edwards, who was resigned after three weeks for suspected health reasons, but he was unavailable to comment on the circumstances at the time.

In March, long-running CEO Dale Dickson left the council after more than 22 years of service, including 18 years in the top role.

It was reported in October that the new CEO would be paid at least $700,000, which would make them the city’s most highly paid bureaucrat, raking in more money than the Prime Minister.

Mr Baker’s salary package at DPIPWE amounted to a total of $402,000 last financial year. He was responsible for 1382 staff and a budget of $256m.

ANALYSIS:

AT first glance, the appointment of Tasmanian bureaucrat Tim Baker as the new council CEO says a lot about where Mayor Tom Tate and his councillors want to take the administration.

The employment of Mr Baker is against the backdrop where former CEO Dale Dickson left after more than 22 years of service, including 18 years in the top role.

His replacement, former top Queensland bureaucrat David Edwards, resigned after three weeks for suspected health reasons. Veteran council director Joe McCabe has been filling the role, ensuring a smooth budget process earlier this year.

Former Gold Coast Council CEO Dale Dickson. Photo: Jerad Williams

David Edwards. Picture: Jerad Williams

Mr Baker during the interview process presented as a younger bureaucrat, well connected in lobbying governments for projects, and experienced in handling environmental disputes and challenges.

Political battles on the Gold Coast are not much different to those in Tasmania.

Councillors admit the biggest challenge in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will be maintaining the green behind the gold while the city confronts huge population pressures. They privately talk about “not sacrificing our lifestyle”, the very reason everyone wants to live here in the first place.

The other challenge for council is securing funding from other levels of governments for infrastructure projects, to cater for the population growth. This funding will create long term jobs during the Covid recovery.

So much like Tasmania, there is this difficult balancing act of providing employment opportunities through transport, health and education upgrades, and maintaining heritage and environmental areas. At the same time, like our southern rivals, we must maintain the growth of our tourism industry.

When Mr Baker presented his CV to councillors, he ticked all the boxes as a CEO who could meet these challenges.

Mayor Tom Tate in an email to staffers, provided in a report to this newspaper today, wrote: “Tim is currently the Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Tasmania, one of that State’s largest government departments.

Prior to this position Tim held a range of senior roles in the Tasmanian public service including Chief of Staff to Premier Will Hodgman and Deputy Secretary of the Department he now heads up.

His qualifications also include a Bachelor of Information Systems from the University of Tasmania. Mr Baker had completed the Executive Leadership Program at Stanford University, California.

One of the other major challenges ahead for council is the internal overhaul of its technology system, and providing improved customer support.

Mr Baker knows the digital road ahead.

Councillors also recognised he was headed for his prime years as a bureaucrat. This was also about succession planning, building a younger leadership in the administration.

He is 40, same age as when Mr Dickson was first appointed. This opens up the opportunity for long term employment and stability for our local government.

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