Topic: local news
We've written ad nauseam about the local ALP aparatchik Andrews who cleverly inserted herself into the nice little sinecure of the general manager's job without the irritation of a competitive job selection process. That's a $60,000 per annum job, or maybe pro rata (?).
Also of a history of governance irregularities if not outright corruption and breach of directors duties in a legal sense by various board members.
Since then we have learned that the ALP Mayor of Marrickville Sam Iskander is arguably so concerned to keep a lid on the dirty laundry there, not least failure to fix the asbestos roofs with sealant, that he has taken up the council's position on the baord. Usually this would be a political offsider's job. But the stakes are getting higher.
Our last post was via source that Andrews husband has been granted a job at the centre again allegedly without any competitive job selection process. That's another $60,000 job into the home budget.
Now we learn that an old member of the ground staff Elmo has been shoved off for good by Andrews and this has stirred up the political food chain alot. Our source tells us Elmo who has past retiring age and worked as a volunteer unpaid has been issued a letter he is no longer welcome due to "OH&S" reasons. But the way we heard it (unconfirmed) is that Elmo said something rude to Andrews who then took revenge.
Now we understand the ground staff have signed a petition, and heavy weights at the 'largest community centre in Australia' have signed it, like Terry Cutcliffe and Don Mamouney and other ground staff including live in caretakers.
Ironically we tend to think Andrews decision is ostensibly sound, but for different reasons. The individual involved is no friend of ours, too old to safely operate equipment, and a legal risk, and that's after 4 years part time (paid) work by this writer at the ARC till late 2007. But that doesn't stop us enjoying Andrews problems with internal ructions. And we are fascinated by the idea the decision was allegedly motivated by personal revenge without offering any opinion whether the source is correct or not. Did Elmo make some gibe about nepotism for hubby? Or was he sexist which is Andrews cause celebre as a feminist co-author with ex MP Meredith Burgmann? Anything is possible.
We noticed another gum tree cut down at the centre yesterday almost certainly in breach of Marrickville Council Tree Preservation Order. They don't care about little planning laws like that at the ARC.
