I was contacted this afternoon and told by a Committee Member that he and the other Members know nothing about any in-camera request, and that no such request has been acceded to. This will only occur on the day, Thursday at 9.15am.
Most certainly, the emails I received from Committee support staff over the past few weeks suggest otherwise. It does not involve rocket science to get a handle on comments such as '...I believe you will have a wasted journey if you come in...'. Anyway, to the credit of the Committee this has now been clarified. I & the media await Thursday morning with bated breath. I am aware that Public Trustee WILL make an in-camera request!
Original Post
For many years, the Office of the Public Trustee (PT) was constantly in the spotlight with disturbing stories about workplace bullying, corruption, and shocking customer service.
On 31 March 2008, the Statutory Authorities Review Committee resolved to '...inquire into, and report on, the operations of the Office of the Public Trustee...' The findings of that Inquiry were tabled in Parliament December 2009.
As the Committee was '...dissatisfied with a number of practices...', PT is required to report back in accordance with Recommendation 13. This is scheduled for Thursday 16 February inst, this coming Thursday.
The Committee advised me over the weekend, that the session is to be 'in camera'. There is to be no transparency.
The Inquiry, up to now, has been very transparent.
As Public Trustee is responsible for more than one billion dollars of clients’ money, this sudden request for secrecy is disturbing.
From a personal viewpoint, it is a kick in the guts.
I have sacrificed a lot over the past 12 years, banging on about Workplace Bullying, Sexual Harassment, and corruption.
So, here we are at the proverbial 'end of the road', with access to be denied to the media, to the public, and to yours truly.
I did ask if I could make a submission to Committee Members to argue the merits of transparency, and that Public Trustee's request to be in-camera is not appropriate.
Unfortunately, all I got was '...never known a committee to refuse...' such a request.
If I had a dollar for each time I was stonewalled over the years with a similar stance, I would be a very rich leprechaun!
Nevertheless, I have canvassed Members of Parliament and alerted the media. NEVERTHELESS, my gut feeling is that no one gives a toss!
No doubt, PT management will regale in their claims of how the culture has changed, how the bullying has been vanquished, how staff is all now happy little vegemites.
Sorry, but not according to the constant stream of information lobbing into my inbox.
