City of Hobart Acting CEO Kat Panjari says staff emails were taken out of context

The City of Hobart Acting CEO has defended her staff, after emails were released which showed they were reluctant to provide certain information and discussing how to ‘cut off’ a member of the public. What she said.

City of Hobart Councillors, Simon Behrakis. Picture: Chris Kidd

The City of Hobart acting CEO has defended staff email exchanges, which showed staff were “reluctant” to provide information and dissed an Alderman, saying they were taken out of context.

The emails were made public after ald Simon Behrakis submitted a right to information request in relation to the Salamanca stallholder agreements.

Mr Behrakis said he was concerned about the flow of information between council staff and elected members, based on comments made by staff members, including one email which said “I’m sorry, I’m out” in relation to questions he submitted.

City of Hobart CEO Kat Panjari said the emails Mr Behrakis was concerned about did not paint a full picture.

“Taking snippets of email correspondence between officers – out of context – from the Right to Information release, does not reflect the fullness of the information provided to elected members throughout the licence agreement process.”

“Throughout the process, City of Hobart staff were in regular communication with elected members, the stallholder’s association and other stakeholders.

“The recent Right to Information release shows that City of Hobart staff provided all information requested regarding the development of a new licence agreement,” Ms Panjari said.

Mr Behrakis said he was concerned staff had the expectation elected members simply “rubber stamp” their endorsed positions.

It’s a concern also shared by Cr John Kelly, who was elected last October.

“I struggle to understand my role at times as to whether I’m just a rubber stamp or someone who acts like a board member of a company, which in my mind is the way it should be,” Mr Kelly said.

Cr John Kelly. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr Kelly said the councils recent rates decision was an example of a matter which “wasn’t fleshed out enough”.

“I think the information was there but it was all too rushed, I just felt that elected members should have more of an input.”

Mr Kelly said sometimes the council was quick to put information together, but other times slow to act.

“There’s been some cases where it’s been immediate, other times it’s gone on for months,” Mr Kelly said.

“There’s a person who had a really bad water leakage problem with a building development, I just couldn’t get an answer on it.

Ms Panjari said staff would strive to provide information to elected members’ requested within ten days.

“Since November 2022 to August 2023, the City has received 727 elected member requests and has closed 93.6 per cent of them, including 67 per cent within 10 days,” Mr Panjari said.

“Tending to these requests takes substantial staff time and resources outside of core business and key strategic organisational priorities, however the City of Hobart will continue to service elected member requests in a timely and informative manner.”

’I’m out’: Council staff diss Alderman in released emails

August 21

A Hobart City Alderman says he’s worried council staff are withholding certain information from elected members, after he saw recently released emails between staff about questions he submitted.

Ald Simon Behrakis requested information about the Salamanca stallholders agreement in April, something he says he sought so he could have all the facts before voting.

Simon Behrakis. Picture: Kenji Sato

After several questions he put in a right to information request, but by the time he received the information, the vote was done and dusted.

But there was something else which caught Mr Behrakis’ eye.

“I’m reluctant to just give EMs (elected members) a full breakdown of employee costs as it will show overtime is the primary cost due to the EA arrangements for staff,” one staff member said to another staff member in an email in relation to the questions.

Emails sent between City of Hobart staff about elected members were released as part of a Right to Information request.

The suggestion was overruled, but Mr Behrakis said it showed staff were “trying to manage the result”, instead of providing advice.

“They were explicitly not wanting to provide to elected members because they weren’t wanting us to consider those issues,” Mr Behrakis said.

“The managing of elected members I think is concerning … the attempt to curate the information elected members able to access.”

Mr Behrakis said it’s wasn’t the only situation staff weren’t as co-operative as he’d expect. Another email shows Mr Behrakis asking questions, which was then forwarded by a council director to another council employee, adding “I’m sorry but I’m out …”

Emails sent between City of Hobart staff about elected members were released as part of a Right to Information request.

Mr Behrakis said he believed there was an attitude elected members were there to simply formalise decisions made by council staff.

“In many instances, there’s the attitude elected members are just there to rubber stamp decisions already made,” Mr Behrakis said.

“We do get given advice by qualified officers but it is our role to scrutinise that and to weigh that against the wants and need of the community.

“Councillors and aldermen are elected to represent the public and town hall … We don’t work for town hall, we work for the public.”

In another email, staff discuss a member of the public who planned to make a deputation, with one staff member suggesting a strategy to reign a potentially long speech.

“[name redacted] is an incredible verbose person (heads up) he’ll be one you will definitely have to help kelly to keep to time!!” one staff member said in the email.

“I’ll do my best, then we’ll see if the Lord Mayor needs to exercise her power in final condition to cut him off.” another replied.

Emails sent between City of Hobart staff about elected members were released as part of a Right to Information request.

Mr Behrakis said it was “entirely inappropriate”.

“Now we have it suggested the Lord Mayor should shut down certain people because they might be inconvenient. Frankly that’s not how any of this works.”

Meanwhile in another email, a staff member criticises one of Mr Behrakis’ social media posts, suggesting he was “suddenly deciding for political kudos to side with stallholders”

The Mercury sought comment from the City of Hobart.