Sharon Kelsey was appointed as chief executive in June 2017 after a period of instability in the role.Credit:Alexandra Weaver
The new decision,previously suppressed by the tribunal to avoid impacting any trial for those charges,reignited calls from the Local Government Association of Queensland foran independent inquiry into the actions of the CCC.
Published on Thursday,the decision by QIRC vice-president Daniel O’Connor found that evidence for Ms Kelsey’s claims the seven were politically aligned with mayor Luke Smith and voted accordingly under his direction did “not support the contention”.
“Councillors were divided broadly between those who supported Ms Kelsey and those who did not,” Mr O’Connor wrote. “The depressing saga that this matter became was set against a background of pettiness,distrust and vitriol;a factionalised council consumed by self-interest and point-scoring.”
Ms Kelsey was appointed in June 2017 after a period of instability in the role and by September had “formed a reasonable suspicion” of Mr Smith’s behaviour,lodging a public interest disclosure through her lawyers a month later,the tribunal heard.
This had followed concerns raised about her own performance in a review meeting and initial industrial relations proceedings against the council and Mr Smith — who has been committed to stand trial on separate charges.
After this point Ms Kelsey claimed the alleged behaviour towards her from Mr Smith,along with Russell Lutton,Cherie Dalley,Phil Pidgeon,Steve Swenson,Laurie Smith,Trevina Schwarz and Jennie Breene,changed.
A new probation process was decided upon and an extension to January 2018 agreed to by Ms Kelsey and the council. Though Mr Smith was excluded from this,Ms Kelsey claimed he continued to play a role,including in a WhatsApp messaging group that all but Mr Lutton were a part of.