Date Feb 17, 2016
Hon. Tony Simpson
Minister for Local Government and Communities
8th Floor Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
WEST PERTH, 6005
Dear Minister
Your Ref:- ‘GOODNIGHT AND GOODLUCK’ (Ed Murrow)
(The Fitz Gerald Report)
It is predicted that in March, 2016, you will have your appellation and ministership removed by Premier, Colin Barnett, in a much anticipated, and necessary, ‘Cabinet reshuffle’.
If the debacle that was your markedly ill-informed, and belated, interference with the Shire of York Council is a measure of the quality of your supervision as the Minister for Local Government and Communities, then your probable dismissal is well deserved.
In April 2014, at the time of Chief Executive Officer, Ray Hooper’s resignation from his position, you made a media statement that “to have Ray resign, it’s going to put a bit of a hole in York”.
This was a supportive, deferential assertion, in direct contradiction to well documented contrary evidence, regarding Mr. Hooper’s long-term narcissistic, manipulative and arguably incompetent employment performance, which was already in your possession.
You went on to state that Mr. Hooper’s resignation had come “at a time there is a bit of community pressure on a number of issues”.
At this time you were fully conversant with what these issues were and chose to make the insulting inference that these York community complaints were isolated and puerile, even though they were numerous and legitimate, dated back prior to your term in office, and also came from other Local Government Areas such as Kalgoorlie and Chittering.
One of these ‘bits’ of community pressure came after the Shire of York Council administration was found by an independent regulatory authority of appropriate jurisdiction to be ‘defective’ which has the synonyms of ‘broken, flawed, inept and useless’.
From April 16, 2014, it was patently obvious that your intent was to support Mr. Ray Hooper, castigate the community of York and malign the Shire of York President, Matthew Reid, because they had the temerity to question your ability and authority, and that of your department.
On July 8, 2014, the SEARTG experiment was effectively cancelled through actions taken by you.
On July 25, 2014, just 17 days later, the Fitz Gerald Report was allegedly released, raising serious Local Government compliance and integrity issues regarding York’s former Chief Executive Officer, Ray Hooper, and former Shire of York Council Presidents, Tony Boyle and Pat Hooper.
You were fully aux fait with what would be the content of the Fitz Gerald Report well before its release and realized that the adverse naming of these individuals in this report did not auger well for the continuing positive development of SEARTG.
This triumvirate was an integral and influential group within SEARTG from its inception. One had resigned and you were aware that the other two could be forced to resign or not seek re-election, leaving your support for SEARTG in a potentially parlous position without a powerful contingent representing the largest council, the Shire of York.
You would have also realized that the actions of these three could be found unacceptable by other Local Government Area members of the SEARTAG group. Even SEARTG’s Chief Executive Officer, Dominic Carbone, was again adversely mentioned in this report.
I now bring to your attention the alleged malicious falsehood generated by you regarding the release of the Fits Gerald Report that is actually dated by its author, Michael Fitz Gerald, as being on July 22, 2014. This is three days prior to its supposed ‘official’ release to the President and Councillors of the Shire of York on July 25, 2016.
Hon. Tony Simpson
Minister for Local Government and Communities
8th Floor Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
WEST PERTH, 6005
Dear Minister
Your Ref:- ‘GOODNIGHT AND GOODLUCK’ (Ed Murrow)
(The Fitz Gerald Report)
It is predicted that in March, 2016, you will have your appellation and ministership removed by Premier, Colin Barnett, in a much anticipated, and necessary, ‘Cabinet reshuffle’.
If the debacle that was your markedly ill-informed, and belated, interference with the Shire of York Council is a measure of the quality of your supervision as the Minister for Local Government and Communities, then your probable dismissal is well deserved.
In April 2014, at the time of Chief Executive Officer, Ray Hooper’s resignation from his position, you made a media statement that “to have Ray resign, it’s going to put a bit of a hole in York”.
This was a supportive, deferential assertion, in direct contradiction to well documented contrary evidence, regarding Mr. Hooper’s long-term narcissistic, manipulative and arguably incompetent employment performance, which was already in your possession.
You went on to state that Mr. Hooper’s resignation had come “at a time there is a bit of community pressure on a number of issues”.
At this time you were fully conversant with what these issues were and chose to make the insulting inference that these York community complaints were isolated and puerile, even though they were numerous and legitimate, dated back prior to your term in office, and also came from other Local Government Areas such as Kalgoorlie and Chittering.
One of these ‘bits’ of community pressure came after the Shire of York Council administration was found by an independent regulatory authority of appropriate jurisdiction to be ‘defective’ which has the synonyms of ‘broken, flawed, inept and useless’.
From April 16, 2014, it was patently obvious that your intent was to support Mr. Ray Hooper, castigate the community of York and malign the Shire of York President, Matthew Reid, because they had the temerity to question your ability and authority, and that of your department.
On July 8, 2014, the SEARTG experiment was effectively cancelled through actions taken by you.
On July 25, 2014, just 17 days later, the Fitz Gerald Report was allegedly released, raising serious Local Government compliance and integrity issues regarding York’s former Chief Executive Officer, Ray Hooper, and former Shire of York Council Presidents, Tony Boyle and Pat Hooper.
You were fully aux fait with what would be the content of the Fitz Gerald Report well before its release and realized that the adverse naming of these individuals in this report did not auger well for the continuing positive development of SEARTG.
This triumvirate was an integral and influential group within SEARTG from its inception. One had resigned and you were aware that the other two could be forced to resign or not seek re-election, leaving your support for SEARTG in a potentially parlous position without a powerful contingent representing the largest council, the Shire of York.
You would have also realized that the actions of these three could be found unacceptable by other Local Government Area members of the SEARTAG group. Even SEARTG’s Chief Executive Officer, Dominic Carbone, was again adversely mentioned in this report.
I now bring to your attention the alleged malicious falsehood generated by you regarding the release of the Fits Gerald Report that is actually dated by its author, Michael Fitz Gerald, as being on July 22, 2014. This is three days prior to its supposed ‘official’ release to the President and Councillors of the Shire of York on July 25, 2016.
A fairly brief summation of the report and its recommendations, titled ‘York council could probe former Chief’ by Kate Emery, was published in The West Australian Newspaper on July 26, 2014.
The article chose to name Mr. Ray Hooper, Mr. Tony Boyle and Mr. Pat Hooper as having allegations to answer in the public interest. Also, that at least seven other persons had abrogated their responsibilities and should, publically, have to explain why.
Prior to publication the newspaper would have assured itself, through its lawyers, that it had the legal right and a public obligation to do this.
At no stage since have those adversely mentioned in the report sought to take legal action against anyone over the content of the article and the Fitz Gerald Report itself. The affected councillors chose not to publically defend their reputations and have left the Shire of York Council in disgrace.
You and senior members of your staff deliberately and methodically set out to bring Matthew Reid’s reputation into disrepute, a reprehensible action by a Minister of the Crown and his bureaucracy.
Therefore, you, and your staff owe the former President of the Shire of York, Matthew Reid, a public apology.
It will certainly be a surprise to all if you have the good grace or internal fortitude to do this.
In an attempt to salve a modicum of your lost reputation you should now ensure that the Fitz Gerald Report is released to the community of York and allow, in this instance, your successor to take up your role with a clean slate.
You have the power and the obligation to set the record straight and do something decent for a community that is part of ministerial role to support.
The release of the report will give a community closure- as there will be nothing left to hide.
Yours sincerely
David Taylor.
Brilliant David; I wonder if he will get it now and try to even save face at how so incompetent he was & offer apologies. I am mentioned in the Fitz Gerald report and had also written to the Minister & Premier several times re the treatment I received from Ray Hooper & his corrupt staff at his time. Of course no responses. It also has taken a serious effect on my health. Cannot wait for the penny to drop on them all as I am sure it will.
ReplyDeleteThank you David for writing once again to the incompetent, arrogant and naive Minister. I'm sure you meant your questions to be retorical, as Im fairly certain you know you won't be getting a response and Mr Reid won't be getting an apology. If he had any conscience he would have retrscted his show cause notice as soon as he learned Pat the "Clot" orchestrated all complaints to cover his own backside and that they were all lies.
ReplyDeleteI agree, table the document. It's a relatively harmless one and merely suggests that questions should be asked of certain Shire of York councillors and senior staff. It troubles me the way the document was suppressed at the special council meeting 25 July 2014. Three councillors formed the quorum which is okay for a simple majority vote, however, two of the three were unflatteringly named in the report - Pat Hooper and Tony Boyle, if that doesn't constitute a conflict of interest, I don't know what does!
ReplyDeleteExactly in whose best interest or on whose behalf was the report suppressed? Ray Hooper had resigned in April but as we now know, he was still heavily involved behind the scenes. If the Hooper's and Boyle had nothing to hide, none should have any issue with its publication.
All of this is inconsequential, as the real reasons for the report not being tabled is the involvement of Lloyd Martin -Local Government Insurance Services (LGIS) and its lawyers Simon Hubbard and Cameron Mclean (DLA Piper).
It's a simple commercial decision for LGIS , while suppressed, the financial ramifications are minimal, if tabled who knows. Personally, I believe the report should be tabled, let's look into what certain people have to hide, after all, there is only one reason government suppress information.
If Ray Hooper, Jacky Jurmann, Pat Hooper or Tony Boyle want to sue, let them, allow them their day in court to have their reputations tested in an open arena, if innocent, what could they possibly be worried about?
On the other hand, if guilty.......?
Either way, it would be an expensive day for the boys at LGIS.
Well done again, David. As the Lone Haranguer might say, Minister Simpson is a fink.
DeleteHaving studied the FGR and spoken to people mentioned in it, I'm convinced there was never the slightest risk that the villains of the piece would sue. Truth is an absolute defence to a suit for libel, and there's also qualified privilege regarding fair comment on matters of public interest (meaning, as I understand it, that a plaintiff must show, even if actually defamed, that where the defamation relates to the public interest the defendant acted unscrupulously and out of malice rather than just got things wrong).
The FGR was ordered and paid for after years of genuine complaints were ignored or acted on in a manner that was inappropriate by the Shire of York, while under the office of Mr Ray Hooper CEO and councillors over a 8 year period. The question is not should it be tabled or when should it be tabled the questions are, why has it not been tabled? Who is responsible for why it hasn't been tabled? What disciplinary action needs to be taken? and the last question is why have these complaints still not been addressed?
ReplyDelete