The City of Perth is set to undergo a significant independent review of its workplace culture, a decision pushed through by Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds despite controversy and claims of insufficient notice given to councillors.
Hastily Called Meeting Sparks Debate
City of Perth councillors found themselves with just six minutes' notice before a crucial vote on an independent workplace culture review at their November 18 meeting. The motion from Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds sought to examine the strengths, risks, and opportunities for improvement in organisational culture and staff wellbeing.
The review was ultimately adopted by a 6-3 vote, but the drama continued when elected members were notified of a special council meeting scheduled for the following day at 3pm to consider revoking that decision. Councillor Catherine Lezer, who had voted against the original motion, had previously requested the decision be reconsidered at the December 9 meeting.
Behind-Closed-Doors Proceedings
The special council meeting took place behind closed doors, with the motion's origin remaining unclear as it wasn't listed in the meeting agenda or minutes. What is recorded is that the revocation motion was defeated.
Notably absent from this hastily arranged meeting were Crs Lezer, Adam Pacan, Raj Doshi - all of whom had voted against the original motion - along with Cr Viktor Ko. When questioned by PerthNow, Mr Reynolds did not provide clear answers about who put forward the revocation motion, whether he knew Cr Lezer would be unavailable, or why the discussion occurred behind closed doors.
Mr Reynolds stated he had "indicated his intention" to call the meeting on Saturday, followed up with administration on Monday, and notified elected members on Monday night. "Administration subsequently circulated the formal meeting notice on Tuesday morning," he said, adding that unavailable members were offered electronic attendance options.
Substantial Ratepayer Funds at Stake
The workplace review comes amid concerns about organisational culture, with ten behaviour complaints against councillors confirmed this year. Cr Lezer's opposition to the original motion cited several concerns, including "lack of due diligence" and procurement integrity.
She highlighted that the motion committed $125,000 of public funds to appoint Mills Oakley as consultants, expressing concern that the city hadn't verified it was getting "value for money." As chair of the city's audit and risk committee for four years, Cr Lezer stated councillors are regularly updated on culture efforts and described current assessments as "robust."
Mr Reynolds countered that the first phase would cost $70,000 and described the review as essential for giving council "appropriate insight" into organisational function. "This is a healthy and positive step for the City of Perth," he said. "An independent and transparent review will help us set the benchmark for where we are now."
With the revocation motion defeated, Cr Lezer must now wait three months before submitting another motion to revoke the review decision, allowing the workplace assessment to proceed as planned.
