Council should redo CEO hire to meet ‘pub test’: Logan whistleblower

The whistleblower former chief of a major south-east Queensland council believes “irregularities” in the recent hiring of a $500,000 bayside local government’s top job should be addressed in a full redo.

Sharon Kelsey, who was sacked in 2018 after reporting the conduct of corrupt former Logan mayor Luke Smith, told this masthead in a statement the recruitment of a chief executive was a high bar.

Kelsey, now a member of Transparency International Australia’s national whistleblowers advisory committee, said while it was important to get the right person, how they won was just as vital.

“There are irregularities in what council’s own documents tell us about the recruitment of the Redland [City Council] chief executive,” Kelsey said after being contacted by this masthead.

“Louise Rusan may well be the best person for the role, but it does her a disservice if the proof she won in a fair competition doesn’t pass the pub test.”

“Arguably the way to ensure the best person wins the role is to remedy the irregularities by undertaking a fresh and transparent recruitment process. If Louise then wins the role she should enjoy the backing of us all.”

Kelsey’s comments mark the first public questions of the process since this masthead reported last week that Rusan was appointed despite not being shortlisted by the external recruiter or panel.

Leaked documents obtained by this masthead show a staffer reporting to Rusan, then-acting chief executive, chaired the selection panel, and a forbidden closed-door councillor vote altered agreed process.

These matters led a key councillor to raise internal concerns about political influence, and followed an earlier independent recruiter quitting after also raising concerns about staff being on the panel.

While this masthead has spoken to several figures who have privately expressed concerns, none have been willing to do so publicly, given the insular nature of the sector in which they still work.

This masthead is not suggesting any wrongdoing by Rusan, just that there were irregularities with the hiring process which ultimately saw her voted in as the council’s chief executive last February.

Kelsey said the Local Government Act set out the rules empowering councils to hold fair and transparent processes to recruit a chief executive. “It’s a high bar,” she said.

“That’s why it is one of the most important decisions the councillor collective make as a council team.”

A Redland City Council spokesperson said the council maintained the appointment was consistent with principles of the Local Government Act and the process determined at a November 2024 special meeting.

“The process was supported by two external members of the CEO Recruitment Panel, the council-appointed recruiter, and an external legal service,” they said in a statement.

The development comes as the Office of the Independent Assessor – the state’s councillor misconduct watchdog – confirmed it was not investigating any Redland staff recruitment.

A spokesperson said recruitment decisions were administrative matters which fell outside the agency’s jurisdiction unless there were related allegations of councillor misconduct.

“Under the Local Government Regulation, [chief executive officer] appointment matters may be discussed in a closed meeting, but formal resolutions of council must be decided in open sessions,” they said.

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