Town Hall executive at centre of conflict of interest row abruptly quits top job

A Melbourne City Council executive embroiled in a conflict of interest row at Town Hall has suddenly quit his senior position.

Roger Teale joined the City of Melbourne after leaving Lendlease.

A Melbourne City Council executive embroiled in a conflict of interest row at Town Hall has suddenly quit his senior position.

Roger Teale, general manager of the property, infrastructure and design portfolio, announced he would leave the role after three years and take on a new, unspecified role.

The announcement follows revelations by the Herald Sun that Mr Teale had continued his own property consultancy business and acted as a paid adviser with city developers while holding a related senior position in local government.

His private activities and possible conflicts of interest prompted a complaint being lodged with state corruption watchdog IBAC.

Mr Teale said on Sunday that it was time to step aside but would stay the council to work on “exciting strategic opportunities’’ with the office of the chief executive. The new role, salary or the length of contract were not specified.

“It has been an extraordinary time working through the challenges of Covid-19 and resetting our great city again, whilst leading a great team and working with the executive team,’’ he said.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp, former head of precinct renewal Patrick Burgess and Roger Teale.

His departure from the executive comes amid an internal restructure driven by City of Melbourne chief executive Alison Leighton.

The revamp is believed to impact finance, governance and infrastructure services.

Mr Teale joined the council in February 2021 after a long career in the property and development sector, most recently 12 years at Lendlease.

But when he took up his council post Mr Teale continued as a director of Collins St firm Lautaret which “provides strategic advice to property, construction, government’’.

Mr Teale’s Lautaret consultancy is based in the old Georges building at 162 Collins St.

The Herald Sun also revealed that Mr Teale had a string of external consultancy jobs on the go, trousering at least $140,000 in 18 months from outside work.

Mr Teale was paid by Mirvac, CostaFox (now Monno), Greystar and, Eke Panuka Development and was also on the payroll of Melbourne architectural firm Bates Smart.

His private interests and possible conflicts of interest prompted a complaint being lodged with corruption watchdog IBAC.

The council said Mr Teale had adhered to the council’s integrity processes.

Town Hall also denied that Mr Teale had been involved in Lendlease’s successful tender for the $1.7bn redevelopment of the southern precinct at the council-owned Queen Victoria Market.

The council said Mr Teale recused himself from the tender process for the $1.5 billion Queen Victoria Market redevelopment proposed by Lendlease and the City of Melbourne.

In a statement, Ms Leighton said Mr Teale’s impact had been “significant and highly valued” and that he progressed complex projects such as the Queen Victoria Market renewal, Kensington Community Aquatic and Recreation Centre, Southbank Boulevard and the first stage of Greenline.

“Roger has notified council that he is ready to move on from his role as general manager property infrastructure and design. A transition plan will take place over the coming weeks to ensure we continue delivering what matters most to our community.”