3 months ago
10
“The decision is seen as a light at the end of a very long tunnel,” the authors wrote, alleging “punitive actions” and “psychosocial harm” occurring inside the organisation.
Loading
The letter did not state how many ex-employees made up the “group”, saying they could not identify themselves because colleagues who raised issues were met with “defensive language, punitive actions, and even threats of legal action”.
The letter urged councillors to consider “significant turnover” in key roles over the past five years, estimating more than 40 movements across senior positions.
“Some people have left without other employment, simply to get out for the sake of their mental health,” the letter states.
‘His first task would be to get rid of me’
Meanwhile, Michelle Reynolds’ dossier began with a letter to councillors that dismissed the staff complaint as inaccurate, vague and “misleading”.
“The anonymous letter does not identify any particular conduct at the city which could be investigated. Rather it alleges that there are (unidentified) problems and supports inquiry into the culture generally,” she said in her letter.
The chief executive responded to the allegation of high staff turnover, claiming: “There are many reasons for employees’ departure other than dissatisfaction with workplace culture.”
Reynolds detailed how she was concerned to hear through media that an urgent workplace culture motion had been moved by the lord mayor in her first week of approved leave, in what she described as “unusual circumstances”.
She wrote: “I was concerned that the objective of the lord mayor, and perhaps of some other elected members, was to engineer my removal.”
In the letter, she claimed her fear stemmed from a person telling her that when Bruce Reynolds was acting lord mayor, he allegedly said “his first task would be to get rid of me”.
The chief executive cited the “haste”, “lack of normal procedure”, and secrecy in convening a meeting behind closed doors.
‘Amateurish and expensive predetermined charade’
Included in the dossier was a scathing letter Michelle Reynolds penned to the lord mayor on November 28, in which she wrote “the nature of your conduct … hardly promotes a culture of transparency or cooperative consultation, or even lawful conformity with legislation”.
“…it has the air of an amateurish and expensive predetermined charade, the antithesis of good governance,” she wrote.
In that letter, Michelle Reynolds also threatened to lodge a claim for unlawful dismissal if, “as appears likely, the threats to my wellbeing and to my professional reputation continue and force my resignation”.
Reynolds also claimed acting chief executive Peta Mabbs, who had been covering her on leave, resigned “largely as a consequence of council’s recent conduct”.
The lord mayor responded on the same day thanking her for the letter, and said: “please understand it does not reflect my intent.”
And in a separate letter to the chief executive on December 4, Bruce Reynolds wrote: “I want to confirm that I am not pursuing any particular outcome regarding your employment.”
Acting CEO writes to state government, CCC
The dossier also contains a letter sent on November 26 from acting chief executive Peta Mabbs to Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley, raising alarm at what she described as escalating governance dysfunction in the City of Perth.
Mabbs wrote that the city was displaying “significant similarity to the practices at the Town of Cambridge and later at the City of Nedlands”.
“The City is requesting urgent intervention by the Minister and the Department,” Mabbs wrote, seeking help from WA’s new local government inspector.
A state government inquiry into Cambridge in 2018 found workplace culture issues stemming from the deteriorating relationship between council and administration.
In July, Nedlands’ council was sacked by the state government and replaced by three commissioners, after four councillors resigned within hours of each other.
Mabbs also noted in her letter to the minister “a marked increase in the number of elected member complaints and concerns regarding elected member conduct, particularly involving the present lord mayor”.
“A number of female staff from the City of Perth, and one female elected member, have raised concerns about his conduct,” she wrote.
Mabbs challenged the lawfulness of the way the lord mayor moved the workplace motion and copied her letter to the Corruption and Crime Commission.
This masthead reached out to Mabbs via the City of Perth, but was told she could not comment further.
‘Concerning, unverified hearsay’
Bruce Reynolds told this masthead it was “concerning that unverified hearsay has been circulated in an email to elected members and then leaked”.
“Both the CEO’s email and Ms Mabbs’ correspondence contain a number of unverified and unsubstantiated assertions,” he said.
“At no time was any such allegation appropriately raised with me directly, and I would have expected any concern of that nature to be put to me, so I could respond.”
The lord mayor said he “absolutely rejected” that he had behaved inappropriately towards any staff member.
“I take staff wellbeing and psychosocial safety seriously and have always sought to treat staff and colleagues with respect and professionalism,” he said.
“If any oversight body or proper process wishes to review my conduct, I will cooperate fully, because I am confident my actions have been lawful and appropriate.”
He rejected that he “engineered” the chief executive’s removal, or that he had ever said his first task would be to “get rid of” her.
Loading
“At all times I have acted in good faith, within the Local Government Act, the city’s standing orders and our governance framework,” Bruce Reynolds said.
Bruce Reynolds said Mabbs’ decision to resign was “personal”.
“I will not speculate on her motivations or private employment arrangements,” he said.
Michelle Reynolds has been contacted for comment, and is understood to be returning to work from leave on Monday.
Premier weighs in
Premier Roger Cook described the saga as “emerging dysfunction” on Wednesday, telling ABC Radio Perth the issues were arising “very early” in the council’s term.
“It strikes me as emerging dysfunction,” Cook said.
“If they don’t get it fixed, our new laws will allow the inspector to go in, cross-examine, make recommendations and make rulings.”
