Auditor General to review Huon Valley Council recruitment process
The Auditor General will look into the Huon Valley Council’s recruitment process after a decision to hire a controversial new general manager. LATEST >>
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The Huon Valley Council’s recruitment process for general manager will be examined by Tasmania’s Auditor-General, after a report commissioned by the council cleared it of breaching the code of conduct over what it admitted was a conflict of interest.
The council last week backed its decision to appoint former TasWater employee Jason Browne into the role, despite revelations he was in a relationship with Joanne Inches, the head of the Recruitment Agency appointed to assist in the process.
Deputy Auditor General Gary Emery said an audit was already being undertaken into general manager recruitment and performance assessment for 12 other councils.
“It had been something we had considered doing for a while, we decided to do it this year starting the audit fieldwork in February 2021,” Mr Emery said.
“Because the recruitment for Huon Valley was undertaken recently, it fell out of the time frame for our audit work.”
Mr Emery said the Huon Valley Council would now also be looked at.
“When we recently became aware of potential issues relating to Huon Valley Council’s recruitment process and in particular how it managed conflicts of interest, we decided to do some additional audit work to look at it purely for the conflict of interest issue,” Mr Emery said.
“We felt it was in the public interest for us to do that.”
An Auditor-General’s report is due to be tabled in late October.
The Huon Valley Residents and Ratepayers Association president Patrick Synge hoped the process might provide clarification.
“We have a new general manager who joins the HVC under a cloud,” Mr Synge said.
“The entire process has been so poorly handled that it is now going to be examined by the Auditor General.”
Mr Synge said the council needed to regain the trust of the community.
“At this stage, simple words of assurance are not sufficient,” he said.
“Now is the time to release real information, not spin.
“Council must not hide behind claims of confidentiality of personal information, it is the details of process that are important and must be released, not the personal details of any applicant.”
Huon Valley mayor Bec Enders said the examination was welcome.
“Council welcomes the Auditor General’s review and looks forward to considering any recommendations which may be provided as part of this review,” Ms Ender said.
Mr Browne begins in the role of general manager on September 21.
Huon Valley Council to be reviewed by Auditor General
The Huon Valley Council’s decision to appoint a controversial new general manager despite an identified potential conflict of interest has been met with criticism from a former mayor.
The council revealed on Wednesday it would stand by its decision to appoint former TasWater employee Jason Browne, despite revelations he was in a relationship with Joanne Inches, the head of the Recruitment Agency appointed to narrow down the search.
There is no suggestion that Mr Browne was not qualified for the role, or that he was not a deserving appointee.
A review into the recruitment process found the council did not breach the Local Government Act, the Code of Conduct or the Huon Valley Governance Framework.
Despite the council being cleared, former Huon Valley mayor Peter Coad said it was disappointing the decision was upheld.
“This appointment confirms community concerns have been ignored by the council,” Mr Coad said.
“Community confidence in the position has been undermined.”
“This to me is wrong.”
The former mayor questioned the independence of the review, but the council has maintained it was independent.
“There is no record of Council using Edge Legal prior to the Acting General Manager engaging them to prepare the general manager’s employment contract and to undertake the independent review,” a council spokesperson said.
The review however did find the council’s conduct in managing the conflict of interest fell “below expected standards”.
In response, the council has committed to undertake training in relation to the future management of conflicts.
Huon Valley Mayor Bec Enders said the council intended to release further detail, including a copy of the key findings in the coming days.
The council said the cost of undertaking the review is expected to be in the vicinity of $15,000.
Controversial Huon Valley GM backed by council
The Huon Valley Council has doubled down on the selection of a controversial candidate for Huon Valley general manager after a review into the recruitment process found the council did not breach the Local Government Act or Code of Conduct.
The search for a new general manager officially began on May 4, with the position advertised on the website of Hobart recruitment agency, Red Giant.
But a conflict of interest raised eyebrows in the community when it was revealed the successful candidate, Jason Browne was in a relationship with Red Giant’s managing director, Joanne Inches.
There is no suggestion about Mr Browne’s eligibility for the role.
After a special meeting on Wednesday which lasted more than three hours, the council confirmed Mr Browne would be commencing in the role as planned.
He’s been appointed for five years and will receive a remuneration package of $246,175.
A report into the recruitment process found “the Council’s management of the conflict of interest in the General Manager recruitment process did not breach the Local Government Act, the Code of Conduct and the Huon Valley Governance Framework.”
“However the review did find the conduct engaged in by the Council in managing the conflict falls below expected standards of managing conflicts, particularly having regard to the need for public confidence in the recruitment process of its General Manager,” a council spokesperson said.
The council has accepted a number of recommendations including to make improvements to the way it manages conflicts of interests.
A copy of the report will be provided to the Director of Local Government but the findings will not be released publicly until Red Giant has reviewed them.
“It is Council’s intention to release further details, including a copy of the key findings in coming days,” Mayor Bec Enders said.
The findings come amid revelations councillors on the recruitment panel for the hiring of a new general manager at the Huon Valley council were required to sign a confidentiality agreement as part of the process.
In response to questions sent by the Mercury, a spokesperson for the council confirmed members were made to sign a confidentiality agreement, a measure the council claims was taken following allegations “information relating to the recruitment process was made public”.
“Due to the alleged leak, all persons involved in the recruitment process, including all councillors, were requested to sign a confidentiality agreement without the authorisation of council,” the spokesperson said.
“It is not usual practice.”
The council has not advised whether it will seek legal action over the alleged leak.
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Originally published as Auditor General to review Huon Valley Council recruitment process
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