Concerns raised over Melbourne City Council culture

MELBOURNE City Council is facing an exodus, with almost one in five staff leaving in 2016-17. But the council denies it has a culture problem.

MELBOURNE City Council has had an exodus of managers and other staff in recent years amid claims the organisation has continuing problems with its culture.

Almost one in five staff left the council in 2016-17, up from 12.5 per cent a year earlier.

The Herald Sun can reveal at least a dozen managers left the council over the past 18 months, and an entire department of about eight people was turned over as a result of forced and voluntary redundancies.

Last year, the council was hit by its biggest scandal when lord mayor Robert Doyle took leave after being accused of sexual harassment by former councillor Tessa Sullivan.

Mr Doyle, who resigned last month amid a council investigation, has denied the claims, while the matter has become an issue in the forthcoming lord mayoral by-election.

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Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and former councillor Tessa Sullivan. Picture: David Caird

Sally Capp, candidate and Property Council chief, said there was a need for leadership. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Candidate and Property Council boss Sally Capp has questioned the council’s culture, saying things “shouldn’t have happened”, and there was a need for leadership and a realignment of values.

The focus on culture has put pressure on City of Melbourne chief executive Ben Rimmer, a member of gender equality group Male Champions of Change.

A source familiar with the council said there was a feeling among staff of needing to “survive in this place”, and responsibility for that was at the top.

The focus on culture has put pressure on City of Melbourne chief executive Ben Rimmer. Picture: Kris Reichl

“He (Mr Rimmer) is trying to be the hero (over the sexual harassment investigation) but he has a lot to answer for in terms of how bad the culture is in that place,” the source said.

Mr Rimmer appointed Ian Freckelton, QC, to investigate the Doyle claims.

A City of Melbourne spokeswoman said the organisation was confident it had a positive workplace culture “which creates a highly valued work environment and encourages employees to speak up”.

“During the past 18 months, nearly 73 per cent of staff completing our regular employee surveys indicated they ‘would recommend City of Melbourne as a great place to work’,” she said, adding that the number of redundancies for a 1600-strong workforce was very low.

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