Liverpool Council inquiry: Former CEO John Ajaka accused of failing to de-escalate volatile protest

A former southwest Sydney council boss conceded he failed to de-escalate a rumour about mass job losses which led to a volatile protest where anti-Islamic chants against the mayor were made.

Some of the protesters at the meeting last April. It is not suggested anyone in this image chanted discriminatory phrases.

Former Liverpool Council chief executive John Ajaka conceded he failed to de-escalate a rumour that 150 jobs were set to be axed that led to a rowdy protest which included offensive chants aimed at Muslim mayor Ned Mannoun to get some “pork on your fork”.

Mr Ajaka on Tuesday continued giving evidence in the NSW Office of Local Government inquiry into allegations of dysfunction and maladministration at the council.

In its third week, the inquiry heard about the lead up to the April 24 protest last year.

It was a day after a Ray Hadley radio interview with a United Services Union delegate who said the 150 council jobs were at risk and announced the protest for 2pm the following day outside the chambers.

The inquiry heard Mr Hadley was a friend of Mr Ajaka’s wife and the now retired radio broadcaster declared that in the interview. Mr Ajaka said he did not hear the interview but learned about it afterwards.

Mr Mannoun’s lawyer Kate Richardson SC asked Mr Ajaka if he understood the meeting the following day would be “very volatile” after the rumours about job sackings were announced.

A protest sign outside Liverpool Council on April 24.

John Ajaka agrees he should have issued a release debunking job cut rumours. Picture: Adam Yip

Mr Ajaka said: “No the demonstrations by the unions in the past haven’t been volatile. I mean there’s a little bit of chanting and placards, but there’s never been a situation where it was volatile to my knowledge.’’

He was aware all union members would stop work to go to the protest.

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun.

About 300 union members, staff and members of the public were there.

Ms Richardson told the inquiry one of the protesters outside chanted to “get some pork on your fork” to the mayor and that “was a deeply offensive phrase” to him as a Muslim, and one that had made him “extremely upset” in the past.

Mr Ajaka said he was made aware of that but did not recall one of the protesters having a toy pig outside the chambers.

In giving evidence, he told the inquiry people were calm inside the council chambers.

Ms Richardson also probed Mr Ajaka about why he did not take action a day before the Ray Hadley interview when job loss rumours started circulating, which would have caused “significant unrest and distress among staff”.

Many first heard about job cut rumours on Ray Hadley’s show. Picture: Thomas Lisson

He could not recall if he heard it a day before the radio interview but did not believe anyone would take the rumour seriously.

In hindsight, Mr Ajaka said he “absolutely” should have issued a press release dismissing mass job losses rumour when he first heard about it on April 22.

He rejected Ms Richardson’s suggestion that it was obvious to him at the time.

“What I want to suggest to you was that it was obvious, and that the reason you did not take that course is that you were not seeking to de-escalate the situation,’’ she said.

Mr Ajaka denied he had stayed silent and failed to defuse the situation because of the fiery meeting he had with Mr Mannoun on April 16 when he told him to “f--k off’’.

Mr Ajaka said he attempted to apologise but did not say sorry to the mayor.

The mayor moved a confidential session to begin the process of terminating Mr Ajaka on the day of the process. He was sacked after the mayor used his casting vote at a meeting in May last year.

Mr Mannoun is yet to give evidence.

The inquiry continues.

Originally published as Liverpool Council inquiry: Former CEO John Ajaka accused of failing to de-escalate volatile protest