This story was mysteriously leaked by someone from the City of Stirling to the Stirling Times this week – WorkSafe investigating City of Stirling for ‘bullying behaviours’ by councillor toward staff ?
The Councillor in question here is clearly Cr Elizabeth Re.
Anyone who regularly attends council meetings (and there is a rapidly growing number of concerned citizens who do), would likely have witnessed Cr Re being singled out and bullied on a regular basis by staff and the Mayor!
From what I have seen, if anyone should be suffering from bullying induced depression or anxiety, it should be her?
Cr Elizabeth Re has been a Councillor for about 12 years. She is a hard working elected member and very popular in her Doubleview Ward and in other communities across the City. She gets more votes in the Local Government elections than any other Councillor in the City of Stirling [not in WA as previously state].
At council meetings Cr Re is a colourful and outspoken character. Unlike some more compliant Councillors who rarely speak out and tend to vote in favour of ‘officer’s recommendations’, Cr Re vigorously engages in many of the debates. She raises issues and often asks probing questions which clearly irk the Mayor and senior management. It is very obvious that some staff and Councillors don’t like her.
I don’t always agree with Cr Re’s views and decisions, but thank goodness she is there, because she regularly raises important points and motions and persistently requests more information from this increasingly secretive administration. We need more Councillors like Cr Re, to watch out for ratepayers interests and ‘to keep the bastards honest’ as the saying goes.
It smacks of hypocrisy, that claims of bullying have been raised against a Stirling Councillor by this the City’s administration, which is a vipers nest of bullies;
The CEO is well known for his intimidation tactics, which regularly include threatening legal and punitive actions against Councillors and staff. He has created a toxic culture of fear within the organisation and a lot of good staff have left and been replaced by ‘Yes People’. Soon there will be no one left with any moral compass or intelligence?
Cr Re is up for re-election in October, which makes the timing of this inquiry and leak look very dodgy indeed? Cr Re is so popular, that it is unlikely that she could be unseated in a fair election by other candidate, so this looks suspiciously like some sort of a plot to denigrate her or to have her kicked out of office as a Councillor?
Cr Re is a small woman, it is hard to imagine that she could intimidate anyone? For bullying to be so bad, that it would be “causing anxiety, depression and self-harm injuries” it would have to be ongoing, severe and relentless. Therefore a question that needs to be considered is, which “staff members” could be subjected to relentless bullying by a Councillor? Because Stirling Councillors are not permitted, by management, to liaise with officers and middle or lower tier managers? If Councillors want information they must go through the CEO or one of the Directors (the senior executives)?
Councillors are watched very closely by management, especially the inquisitive, less compliant Councillors who question their recommendations and want to dig around for more information. Woe betide any City officer who was found to be giving information directly to a Councillor. So, one could speculate that the alleged “bullying” victims are not officers or lower or middle tier managers, but rather senior executives who Councillors are allowed direct contact and communication with?
Surely senior Local Government executives, in Australia’s fifth largest council (by population), could not be easily intimidated, especially by one small women? Self-harming?
The only other “staff members” that Councillors may have regular access to might be the catering staff in the dining room, where other Councillors, members of the public and staff would normally be present? It is hard to imagine that Cr Re was sending “excessive emails” to waiters or kitchen staff? So one can only deduct that at least one of the alleged victims is senior executive?
It is the responsibility of the CEO to ensure his staff are not bullied? But this CEO can’t seem to make a decision or do anything himself without contracting outside experts or calling in lawyers?
Cr Re has also had legal action taken against her for – wait for it – having a messy desk! Cr Re has had to spend over a hundred thousands of dollars fighting a number actions, imposed on her by this CEO.
It should also be noted that other hard working and respected Councillors, including a former Mayor, Cr Terry Tyzack, have also had actions raised against them.
What we really need is an inquiry into how many actions and threats of action have been made against Councillors and staff by this CEO in the last ten years at Stirling, but also during in his previous position as the CEO of the City of Gosnells. What was the basis of those claims and how much has this all cost ratepayers?
While all of this time consuming and expensive skulduggery is going on, the City is falling behind other councils in many important areas. According to psychologists, when leaders blame and try to denigrate others, it is often to cover up their own short comings and lack of ability to cope. Anthony Albanese’s said something similar recently, “politicians who lack the vision to lead the community on big issues like public transport often hide their inaction by blaming other levels of government when anyone complains.”
If executives are feeling anxious, you only have to go through some of the last few council meeting minutes and read some of questions and motions raised by ratepayers to see why. Community discontent is palpable. Hundreds of people have attended meetings in the last year to voice their concerns and many have been disgusted by the disdainful attitude and evasive answers they and others receive. Little wonder they tried to sneak through a rule to reduce question time (community say) at meetings recently.
I have been attending council meetings and scrutinising this council for some years now, this is just one of the reasons why I raised a motion of no confidence in the CEO at the Special Elector Meeting last December. Note in the minutes of that meeting, that there was also a motion of no confidence raised in the City’s Planning & Approvals Department and motions requesting investigations. The minutes for last year’s Electors General Meeting also contain telling questions and motions raised by ratepayers. More telling questions can be found in the minutes of other Ordinary Council Meetings here (Feb 7th is worth looking at).
So if there are Stirling executives chewing their finger nails to the bone, the cause is far more likely to be the increasing deluge of complaints about their institutionalised incompetence from a large number of groups and individuals and not just because of Cr Re?
Here is another article by the Stirling Times – Stirling councillor accused of bullying labels Worksafe investigation “witch hunt”.
Leisha Jack (Karrinyup)
Please Note: If you have witnessed or been subjected to bullying from anyone at the City of Stirling or have any other comment you can email;
The CCC;
The Minister for Local Government Minister. Templeman@dpc.wa.gov.au and the Shadow Minister Mr Tony Krsticevic (MLA) carine@mp.wa.gov.au
The Stirling Times (let them know if you don’t want to have your name published) stirlingtimes@communitynews.com.au
Ms Jack, while I agree with some of your comments, overall your long-winded rant is mainly diatribe and contains untruths which renders your post no credibility.
Alarmingly, you seem to have inside information about the inner workings of City of Stirling which makes one ask who is leaking you this stuff?
Small woman? Perhaps only in the context of a lower-level nobody. Certainly not stature.
You omit to inform readers that she was dismissed from her government job for serious misconduct and has failed miserably in several state/Federal elections – elections where the full community votes.
Your claim “she gets more votes in the Local Government elections than any other Councillor in WA” is bald-faced lies. You offered no proof of your claim so following are some facts:
Her last election (2015) attracted just 3,376 votes from 20,829 Doubleview Ward eligible electors. That’s only 16.2% voted for her compared to 83.8% who were silently against her.
To further prove your lie “she gets more votes in the Local Government elections than any other Councillor in WA” please compare your friend to, for just one example, the Kalgoorlie 2015 Local Government election. John Bowler attracted 4,649 votes and 87.67% of the vote (versus your friend’s 3,376 and 16.2%). Kalgoorlie’s elector turnout was 34.92% (versus Doubleview’s 25.67% for your friend’s election year). Whichever way one looks at the statistics YOU ARE WRONG. You very obviously are trying to present a biased position and have not done your due diligence research.
You say: “Hundreds of people have attended meetings in the last year to voice their concerns”. You need to get real – the last City of Stirling Electors AGM attracted an unusually high attendance of 26 residents. Compared to the over 223,000 residents (Stirling website data) that means 0.01% of residents are really concerned with how the City of Stirling and Council operates.
Instead of overstating your claims or providing disinformation please do take off your rose coloured glasses and realise you’re flogging a dead horse. We the silent majority can see right through you.
My understanding is Worksafe did not allow natural justice prior to rendering its notice. To that end, there was no hearing, no cross examination of witnesses, no assurance of an impartial decision maker or opportunity for accused to give witness. Given this Michael Kerlaan, who among us will cast the first stone?
The question to be asked is; who leaked this confidential report and proceeding to press? The CEO is compelled to commence an investigation. How can this Council conduct business without confidence that their confidential business will remain so? Who is the rat among the pack? I have been the recipient of bulling by Mayor Italiano and Bernadette Tucker, who do I report them too?
Dear Crackers
More alarmingly, is that “you seem to have information about the inner workings of the City of Stirling”? An anonymous troll? I have been scrutinising this council for years, after a while you get a pretty good idea of what is going on.
I know a lot of things about some other Local Governments in WA too. I also know that Local Government laws are unfairly stacked in favour of staff. A CEO can raise actions against Councillors over all sorts of issues and it is common practice with some CEOs. Some Councillors have actions raised against them for minor issues on a regular basis, while the behaviours of other Councillors are ignored. It often seems to be the less compliant Councillors who question officers recommendations. But a Councillor can only raise an action against a CEO if it is a sackable offence.
I guess we can assume you were at the last General Electors Meeting. 26 was it? I thought it might have been more like 40 but you are clearly in the know? Apparently the year before it was only 2? That is a big increase. Anyone can go to the minutes to see the number of public questions and motions raised.
As I said more people are attending council meetings these days. That is why the City tried to reduce question time. They bundled up the recommendation with a pile of other Local Law changes, but fortunately a member of the public noticed it and raised a question about it at the Council meeting and it was pulled out and not approved.
History is littered with examples of beat-up, exaggerated, ridiculous and even false allegations against people. Just because allegations have been raised it doesn’t always mean they are all true.
Please don’t try the old silent majority chestnut? Where was Colin Barnett’s “silent majority” at the last election? If people feel strongly enough about an issue they would make the effort to vote?
If you think that Cr Re is a “lower level nobody”, how could she be so intimidating?
Let me make something very clear, this is not a matter of sticking up for Elizabeth Re, as I said, I don’t always agree with her, but rather because, this issue is seen as just one more attempt to stifle democracy and silence or remove a Councillor who agitates on behalf of the community and asks too many uncomfortable questions? And just before the election?
Thanks for point out that I wrote, “Cr Re gets more votes than anyone else in WA”, I meant to say “in the City of Stirling. I will correct it now.
“Roses”?
Leisha Jack
Ms Jack – more follow LG than you apparently realize….. long before you came on the scene. Amongst City of Stirling’s 223,000 residents knowledgeable others with long reliable memories abound.
It goes against the grain to keep correcting your fake news, that then allows you to furtively correct your scripted errors, so I strongly commend you research more thoroughly (due diligence) before making public comments. Your changing “Cr Re gets more votes than anyone else in WA” to “in the City of Stirling” is still pie in the sky. Are you so infatuated that you’ll pedal fake news knowing those who do not know any better might believe it? Or do you believe it? If so, supporting proof please.
Please consider the following:
1999 City of Stirling Council elections resulted in Balga Ward’s June Copley winning 5,826 votes. 1,287 (28.3%) more than Re ever got. You’ll have to eat humble pie and yet again correct your mistaken belief.
Now to look at candidate Re’s Doubleview Ward results.
2005 – 4,539 votes
2009 – 4,071 votes (a fall of 468 votes or 10.3% on 2005)
2013 – 3,376 votes (an increasing further fall of 695 votes or 17.1% on 2009)
Since 2005 her votes have collapsed by 1,163 or a dramatic 25.6%
At successive elections, why have these increasing numbers of voters deserted Ms Re? Waking up comes to mind. This Appeal outcome (public document) might be of interest
http://www.WAIRC.wa.gov.au/index.php/en/Files/News/PSAB-3-2013-201300830.DOC
Your Colin Barnett comment is the tactic of a person desperate to turn discussion away from the primary subject. However, with your citing State elections, why have you not included candidate Re’s many and abysmal losses in those compulsory-voting elections? An accurate indicator of lacking popularity in the wider more discerning community. Why is she no longer a JP?
Time to stop fiddling while Rome burns.
The Romans brought it on themselves.
Your response is so apt
Have you read this public article? Copy and past this into your browser
http://www.oneperth.com.au/2013/10/04/staffer-conspired-damage-custodial-inspector/
Does your wife know you visit this site https://goo.gl/wmqkeo ?
If the authorities find a Councillor in breach of something, they will be forced to step down. It is as simple as that. Otherwise, they have a right to be there. Cr Re is popular, she was elected by the people.
What is staggering is disgraceful handling of the issue and tactics being used against her. Leaking information about the case to the media? All just before the election?
Below are the related questions I asked at tonight’s council meeting;
2. Were the stories in the Stirling Times and PerthNow about the Worksafe action about a “Councillor bullying staff”, leaked or was an official media release submitted? If they were leaked, do you know who did it and will there be any consequences against that or those individuals?
3. Does the Worksafe notice to the City of Stirling mention specific Councillor? And if not why does it have to be dealt with behind closed doors? And if it doesn’t have the name of a Councillor on it, why is a certain Councillor’s name all over the media in relation to it?
Wife ?? Assuming is dangerous
Your comment: If the authorities find a Councillor in breach of something, they will be forced to step down. It is as simple as that. WRONG again (except in a specific circumstance – do your research). The government can only stand down the full council – again only in specific circumstances
Your comment: is popular, she was elected by the people. Answer: So was Hitler et al
That was a joke! In reference to the Russian Bride ads next to the article you sent (see link to a screen shot https://goo.gl/wmqkeo). I don’t read article on sites like that.
And … Hitler was not elected by the people. He was appointed as Chancellor in a coalition arrangement between the Nazis and the Nationalist-Conservatives.
Very sick “joke” – the link I posted was not the one you found and posted – Hitler’s NSDAP was democratically elected as were “et al” others
Hope you’ve read the Stirling Times on line today -full article is too long for here but below are four lines of extracts:
City of Stirling confirms Cr Elizabeth Re the subject of WorkSafe bullying investigation, imposes harsh penalties on her May 24th, 2017, 12:00PM
http://www.communitynews.com.au/stirling-times/news/city-of-stirling-confirms-cr-elizabeth-re-the-subject-of-worksafe-bullying-investigation-imposes-harsh-penalties-on-her/
STIRLING councillors have decided to impose a set of harsh penalties on Councillor Elizabeth Re after she was accused of bullying staff.
Mayor Giovanni Italiano moved the motion to exclude Cr Re from all City functions, attending forums and even cancelling her electronic security pass to enter the council building.
Council will also withdraw all council privileges other than those prescribed by law from Cr Re.
Stirling chief executive Stuart Jardine will notify the Local Government Minister of council’s decision.
Note: This was resolved by a Council of elected members – people democratically elected by the community
Who were apologies at last night’s full Council meeting …….
Yes, this new Stirling Times article was posted on our Facebook page with a link to the article you are commenting on yesterday shortly after it was published yesterday.
And … yes the article with the Russian Brides ads is the one you sent. Ads on websites change and rotate, new ads appear on old articles. I took a screenshot of the page as it was when I opened it. As I said, I don’t read articles on websites like that.
When will you reveal your identity? You have no credibility until you do.
We are currently debating harsh new restrictions regarding anonymous comments on this page. So unless you reveal your identity your comments may not be published going forward.
Leisha Jack
My comments are very credible and accurate as you will have observed
If you don’t read publicly issued articles such as One Perth on-line news services you are burying your head in the sand and denying the full facts of what the community reads
You have not posted last night’s Channel Nine news – did you see it?
No I didn’t catch the Channel 9 news story, but I did hear about it.
Shocking the way this whole issue has been leaked to the media.
As I understand it, complaints were made to WorkSafe by the City of Stirling (has anyone ever seen the actual complaints?. WorkSafe found that the City of Stirling had failed to protect staff and made recommendations. But did not mention the Councillors name. The process has not yet been completed, yet someone has leaked all of this the media. The handling of this investigation and the leaking of it to the media must be investigated.
Instead of obsessing about vindicating Cr Re, why not focus on important council issues? Do you have anything to say about Third Party Appeal Rights?
Ms/Miss/Mrs Jack (apologies I do not know your status) -Third Party Appeal Rights – that can of national worms is nothing to do with the subject of your blog – so please don’t try to deflect the debate.
Concerning the nub of your comments – you’re wrong yet again. You say “vindicating” – how delusional is that! Based on facts, the position of others and myself is exactly the opposite
I don’t accept your contention anything was “leaked” – I think of it as the oft called for transparency. An analogy would be the 2013 WAIRC published determination as a result of her failed Appeal against dismissal from her state government job.
Further, you do not appear to have any empathy for City of Stirling staff.
Let’s hope during any potential future candidature you will be transparent by ensuring all these facts are widely disseminated .Because I suspect your blog is read by only very few, perhaps flyers widely distributed in Doubleview Ward will transparently alert all electors and residents to these matters of public interest. That is the challenge I pose to you.
Seems I’m more alert to “news” than you however hope you got to find a replay of last night’s Channel 9 News (Wednesday) plus their follow up News item at 6:15pm on tonight’s Nine News (Thursday). You’re right, she is popular – for all the wrong reasons!
`lies damn lies and statistics`, I think that’s what they say.
Why look at % of eligible voters? why not focus on those who did actually vote,
2001, cant find voter turnout, big win nonetheless.
2005 72% of all votes cast, highest percentage of any other Stirling ward in that year,
2009 72% of all votes cast, highest percentage of any other Stirling ward in that year,
2013 63% of all votes cast, second highest percentage of any other Stirling ward in that year.
In 2013 Councillor Michael got 82% putting him first in and best dressed that year.
Considering all the history you are dredging up now Crackers its not surprising that Clr Re took a hit in 2013 is it, nor will it be a surprise if she takes a bigger hit this time around and surely that’s the point of the leaks coming from within the City of Stirling, leaks we can only assume that are designed to hurt Clr Rr in the upcoming election.
I would say that those responsible should be ashamed of themselves since this is real bullying, however more likely they should be in front of a magistrate for conspiring to affect the democratic electoral process….
…of course having no legal background of any sort, I would not know, perhaps Crackers would?
Resident’s ‘Third Party Appeal Rights’ in planning, a “can of national worms”? Why did WALGA send a copy to all councils for comment and why have other councils raised it already publicly at council meetings?
Ms/Miss/Mrs Jack – why do you continue to try deflect debate away from the primary subject?
Please oh please do your research – WA does not have TPAR but those GST grabbing states that do have that crazy system have had to amend on amend – that is the can of national worms I refer to. Research, research! A good paper is available via Google search.
Welcome Cream Cheese and I like your pseudonym – but don’t bury yourself in false hope – voluntary voting can be so easily manipulated compared to compulsory – anyone “elected” on a small fraction of eligible electors is not truly elected by the wider community
I commend you become an activist for LG compulsory voting in WA – THEN we the community will see how popular candidate Re would be – the best analogy is her dismal multiple failures in State and Federal compulsory voting. If you would like those embarrassing statistics, just say so
Sadly, but not unsurprising for activists, Stirlingcm has proved to be a gutless pointless blog – the epitome of not facing facts nor ready to gracefully accept defeat based on facts.
Not even the courtesy of posting an accurate response. Crackers can only but accept your pathetic little blog has finally realized you’re flogging a dead horse – this week’s press confirms that view.
The object of your affection has not addressed the subject but instead tries to divert conversation to herself. You Ms/Miss/Mrs Jack should get your favoured one to address and directly answer the issues
Incidentally my real name is Crackers albeit a nickname – nothing to do with biscuits or Cream Cheese. It was given to me because of my outstanding (cracking) achievements.
Diddums – you’re a loser (or mob of losers)
Trust you read this week’s Community newspapers – on-line and hard copy
I think it may be discovered that arguments based on mandatory voting would apply to all candidates regardless of favour, and talking of manipulation of votes, we have an old hand at that in the Osborne Ward this year, so lockup your mailboxes.
My personal experience with Cllr Re is of someone who desperately cares about, and fights for, her electorate and the ratepayers of the City of Stirling in general.
Regardless of the manner of that fight, agree or disagree with any particular given point, I think most people would much prefer a Councillor who goes that extra mile and stands up against an Administration and Governance that is far more interested in metrics and KPI’s than actually attending to the real needs of the residents and ratepayers of the City.
There are a few Councillors out there who say the right thing and quite probably mean well enough, but unless they have the gumption do do something about it they are essentially of little good to the community at large. In other words I think we need more outspoken Councillors, not less.