Mr Besseling refers to the “appointment of an Independent Special Investigator” into the General Manager of the Port Macquarie Hastings Council as an “Internal staffing matter”.
The GM is not just another staff member, he is the General Manager appointed by the previous administrator, Dick Person.
Dick Person and the current administrator Garry Payne were both appointed by the current State Labor Government.
Garry Payne was the Director General for Local Government at the time when all nine councillors were sacked. He now has the job of the sacked councillors. There may not be a conflict of interest, but you would think that potentially there could be one, and the ratepayers are entitled to ask the question.
Other questions are: Why have so many senior staff left? Why has Tony Leahy the Corporate and Business Services director decided to call it quits?
Mr Payne says it will have “absolutely no impact on council services or any other council business”. Perhaps we should do away with the position, if that’s the case.
Why is it that this state Labor Government cannot even get this right when they are in charge?
This latest development will be of great concern to the local community.
We need a change of government to one with more transparency.
Only by voting for Leslie Williams can we be sure of such a change.
Rodger Alden,
Port Macquarie
