Glen Hartwig, Bruce Devereaux speak out on bad Gympie council staff survey

Two councillors, who had fixing Gympie Regional Council’s troubled internal culture as key parts of their election platforms, have been grilled over whether the latest disastrous results show a broken promise.

Two Gympie councillors, who campaigned on a platform of fixing the council’s troubled internal culture, say they are dismayed at revelations it has instead bottomed out further on their watch.

Mayor Glen Hartwig and Bruce Devereaux each had repairing a troubled staff culture on their list of election promises ahead of the March 2020 election.

The health of the council’s internal culture was the subject of debate leading into the election.

The extent of the problem was revealed by The Gympie Times shortly after the election, following a Right to Information request to the council for staff surveys dating back almost a decade.

The latest internal survey, released this week and four years after the last, revealed staff’s opinion of the organisation has continued to slide to what acting CEO David Lewis called “an all time low”.

Councillor Bruce Devereaux and Mayor Glen Hartwig have expressed disappointment Gympie council’s internal staff culture has continued to deteriorate despite it being a key part of each of their election platforms in 2020.

Mr Hartwig said Thursday he was “not happy” with the results not one to “shy away” from any responsibility.

“The challenge we face as a councillor is we only get the opportunity to appoint a CEO,” Mr Hartwig said.

Mr Hartwig said despite his and the new council’s intentions to clean it up “we clearly didn’t get the outcome we desired”.

Bruce Devereaux, who said in a 2020 campaign video on social media solving the problem was a “crusade” of his, said he was “gutted” and “devastated”.

He was not surprised though “because of the way things have played out over the last six months”.

Facebook post by Mayor Glen Hartwig ahead of 2020 election, talking about need to fix council internal culture. A new staff survey has revealed it has only gotten worse.

“We haven’t even made any in roads on it (after more than two years)” Mr Devereaux said.

As to whether the results represented a broken election promise he said “I have to wear it”, but as only one of nine councillors “I can’t decide for the room”.

“One of the most disappointing things around the timing of this survey, beyond it being in the midst of an EBA negotiation, is it’s also amid several rain events which historically have been when our community, and council staff in particular, shines, bonds and feels the most appreciated,” he said.

Mr Hartwig said the council was working towards installing new leadership following former CEO Shane Gray’s sudden departure in January 2022.

“The organisation didn’t get to this point in two years,” Mr Hartwig said.

“That doesn’t minimise the state we’re in now.”

He reiterated he was committed to turning the organisation’s culture around said the council would continue making “difficult” decisions when they need to be made.

Originally published as Glen Hartwig, Bruce Devereaux speak out on bad Gympie council staff survey