Shoalhaven Action Campaign

Media release - 11 July 2008
Friday’s Register reported on the sacking of Shellharbour Council for reasons including irretrievable damage to the relationship between Councillors and staff. Patricia Mason, who is a Mayoral candidate with the support of the Shoalhaven Action Campaign, says Mayor Greg Watson has his head in the sand over the possibility of action against Shoalhaven City Council.

Mrs Mason said “The Mayor was quoted as saying ‘the relationship between staff and Councillors in Shoalhaven is as good as any Council in the state’, but he knows this is wrong. The Mayor is well aware of the results of a staff survey presented to Council earlier this year which revealed some very disturbing facts. In the planning and development groups 50 per cent and 75 per cent of staff either disagreed or strongly disagreed with a statement that staff and Councillors worked together in a respectful and cooperative manner.”

“General Manager Russ Pigg reported that there was evidence that Councillors had had some influence on staff leaving Council and that unless the situation changed there would be a likely accelerated loss of staff from Council,” Mrs Mason said. “This seems to be the case with large numbers of staff continuing to leave Council with a likely increase in pressure on Council’s finances. Combined with Council’s recent financial irresponsibility in borrowing to fund election promises all ratepayers should be concerned.”