Multicultural Council CEO sacked after raising governance and staffing concerns

The former chief of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania warned the body’s board of understaffing and governance issues before her contract was terminated via email.

Multicultural Council of Tasmania board chairman Waqas Durrani.

THE former chief executive of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania warned the peak body’s board of understaffing and governance issues before her contract was terminated via email.

Individuals and six groups have co-signed a letter to Premier Will Hodgman this week pleading for a fresh election of the advocacy body’s board after newly appointed head Suzanne Mallickwas axed within months of being hired as chief executive.

Dr Mallick was announced as permanently appointed to lead the council on January 24. She requested an urgent meeting with the board on February 19 after highlighting problems with a lack of staff — including that she was down two permanent employees — and broader concerns about the government-funded advocacy group’s governance.

Board chairman Waqas Durrani responded to her email the next day to say the body had withdrawn its employment offer to Dr Mallick. Two board members resigned after she was sacked.

COUNCIL TERMINATES CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S CONTRACT

Dr Mallick, who has a multicultural policy background, declined to comment on Wednesday except to say she was considering her legal options.

Mr Durrani did not respond to questions.

The letter from leaders of groups including Ahmadiyya, Malayalam, Tamil, Indian, Nepalese and Pakistani communities this week asked Mr Hodgman why Dr Mallick lost her job and what the Multicultural Council of Tasmania was doing for those it was funded to represent.

It accused the board of “hiding everything from communities”.

“[The] board should resign and call … a fresh election monitored by someone from the state government and [this should be] be done in a transparent manner,” the letter said.

Community Development Minister Jacquie Petrusma said Communities Tasmania was meeting with members of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania board this week.

“We can’t tell any employer who they can employ or not employ, but if it impacts on what they’re supposed to be delivering for us … then we can say this is what you need to deliver, this is what you need to be focused on,” Mrs Petrusma said.

“My focus is … to make sure we put measures in place and make sure there is strong governance and everything in place so the Multicultural Council of Tasmania does what it’s meant to do, and that’s to serve the people from the 177 different countries who now call Tasmania home.”

Hobart mayor Anna Reynolds stepped down from the chief executive role at the council last year while running for the Hobart City Council. Sonia Caton took the reins in the interim in July last year but quit by September.

Two other board members and one staff member quit in the same month, and another staff member resigned later in the year.

Dr Mallick was appointed chief executive in December.

The State Government audited the Multicultural Council of Tasmania’s governance and finances last year and said in November the body was meeting the obligations attached to its funding agreements.