Top Gold Coast City Council bureaucrat first to leave after damning culture review
The city’s most experienced top bureaucrat is leaving City Hall as a giant restructure starts in the Gold Coast’s second-biggest workforce.
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The city’s most experienced top bureaucrat is leaving council as a giant restructure of management starts in the Gold Coast’s second-biggest workforce.
New council CEO Tim Baker has told staff that chief operating officer Joe McCabe will leave on August 5.
The respected finance chief filled in as CEO after Dale Dickson left in March 2021 and the sudden departure of his replacement David Edwards, guiding several budget sessions.
Mr Baker told staff that “Joe’s depth of knowledge and experience within the City administration is unparalleled”.
City councillors were privately briefed on Monday on the council’s first cultural review in a decade. The survey had a strong response and confirmed poor morale.
Mr Baker has briefed his most senior executives and intends to this week hold sessions in which all officers would be welcomed.
A Bulletin report on Tuesday revealed senior managers would be “leaving in the next week”.
Mr Baker has told employees: “After 38 years of service to the City, 28 of those in the capacity of director, Joe has profoundly influenced the way the City administration operates and has seen this organisation through decades of significant change.”
At the age of 27 he became the City’s youngest director, taking up the position as the director of financial services, Mr Baker said.
“Following his subsequent appointment to director of organisational services in 1999, Joe set about reforming the City’s financial management.”
After being appointed director of city governance in 2003, Mr McCabe had strengthened the City’s corporate governance frameworks and managing the City’s financial management.
“He worked to introduce alternative funding strategies, including transport and tourism levies and undertook a review of the organisation’s approach to strategic procurement,” Mr Baker said.
As chief operating officer, Mr McCabe had overseen the City’s financial management, corporate planning, risk management and legal services, Mr Baker added.
“Joe also stepped up as Acting CEO for an extended period prior to my appointment, steering the City administration during a very difficult and unpredictable period due to the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring the prudent planning and management of the City’s financials,” he said.
Mr McCabe told the Bulletin: “Reflecting on my 38 years at Council, I’m very proud of our many achievements and the contribution I have made to the Gold Coast.
“Over this time the city has grown into a truly international city. It is time for me to move on to other opportunities, but first I will have an extended break with the family, including seeing more of my young grand kids.
“As a born and bred local I truly believe we live in paradise and will always be passionate about our city. It has been a lot of hard work, but I will cherish the memories and friendships made forever.
“The city is in excellent hands with the Mayor, Councillors, CEO Tim and administration and I wish them all the best”.
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