City of Ballarat rocked after watchdog finds nepotism from CEO and key executive
The City of Ballarat has been rocked by nepotism claims, with the Victorian Ombudsman finding key people gave preferential treatment in hiring friends and colleagues.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The City of Ballarat has been rocked by nepotism claims after the Victorian Ombudsman found its chief executive and a director gave preferential treatment hiring friends and colleagues.
CEO Justine Linley and Director of Infrastructure and Environment Terry Demeo will be placed on leave while the council decides on a formal response to the damning report.
Ombudsman Deborah Glass said she investigated the council after receiving complaints, “first alleging a director was hiring his mates, then alleging his boss was hiring hers”.
She said not all claims had been proven but did find Ms Linley was improperly involved in recruiting two people while Mr Omeo was involved with three former colleagues applying for senior roles.
Mr Omeo was also found to have changed the description for a job after it was flagged one of these people may not be suitable for the role.
“Allegations of nepotism are damaging for many reasons, even if they are not substantiated,” Ms Glass said.
“They damage the individuals complained about, as well as those who were hired, who for no fault of their own may find the merits of their appointment called into question.
“They damage the reputation of the organisation, and it is not an overstatement that ultimately they damage public confidence in the integrity of our system of government.
“The excuses given for such breaches of hiring practices are almost invariably that the person hired was the best person for the job and it was in the interests of the business, usually because things needed to be done quickly.
“The assertion that those hired were the best people for the job cannot be tested, because process was not followed.”
In a statement, the City of Ballarat said both executives would be on leave while it considered a formal response to the report.”
The Council is deeply concerned and disappointed by the allegations and the findings of the Ombudsman’s report,” it read.
“Such allegations do not align with the City of Ballarat values and governance practices.”
It is not the first time the council has come under the microscope, with the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission in 2016 charging a former staffer with fraud and deception offences.
READ MORE
ELITE SCHOOL PLANS TO REOPEN EARLY