NSW ICAC Investigates Parramatta Council Hiring Allegations

The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) began public hearings on Monday into allegations that recruitment and promotion processes at Parramatta Council were improperly influenced by a close-knit group of senior staff. The inquiry is examining the conduct of former chief executive Gail Connolly and council employees Roxanne Thornton and Angela Jones-Blayney, among others.

Counsel assisting the commission, Joanna Davidson SC, said the hearings will explore whether personal relationships and undisclosed conflicts of interest affected key staffing decisions. The public hearings are scheduled to run for four weeks.

Davidson told the inquiry that the three

Davidson told the inquiry that the three women allegedly maintained a network of contacts through social events and private communications, including WhatsApp messages, and that this “backdrop” may have shaped decision-making at the council. The hearings are considering allegations that staff perceived as opponents were subjected to targeted electronic surveillance and other reprisals.

The inquiry is also examining claims that staffing changes and scrutiny within the organisation aligned with internal divisions following Connolly’s appointment.

Among the specific matters raised is an allegation that an essential requirement for a Chief Governance and Risk Officer role—holding a law degree—was removed, which Davidson said facilitated Thornton’s appointment to the position. The inquiry will also examine the alleged assistance Connolly provided in the appointment of her niece to a senior executive assistant role.

The commission is further investigating whether public

The commission is further investigating whether public funds were misused to facilitate staff departures through “deeds of release. ” The inquiry heard Parramatta Council reportedly spent A$5.2 million on the removal of 81 staff members between January 2022 and May 2023.

Connolly was terminated from her position in October 2023 and has denied wrongdoing. ICAC’s hearings are expected to test the evidence around recruitment processes, internal governance practices and any alleged reprisals against staff.

The hearings are set to continue in the coming weeks, with further evidence and witness testimony expected on the recruitment decisions and the use of deeds of release.