[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Bartlett Bungle on Gadd Contract Could Cost Taxpayer $240, 000_N McKim MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

BARTLETT BUNGLE COULD COST TAXPAYER $240, 000

Should Gadd Decide to Walk

Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader

Friday, 14 August 2009
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today said that Premier David Bartlett had to take
responsibility for the potential cost to the taxpayer of a $240,000
payout should the former Secretary of the now defunct Department of
Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts (DEPHA), Mr Scott Gadd, decide
to refuse any extension or reassignment options provided for in his
current contract, following revelations contained in documentation
released under Freedom of Information provisions.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that the FoI material also contains a
letter from the DEPHA Secretary to the Premier in April this year which
reopens significant questions over why the Premier decided to offer a
three year Departmental secretary renewal contract instead of the
standard five years, since it does not appear that the Premier had
replied to this correspondence.

"Once again we are seeing how the Premier's bungling costs the taxpayer,
this time to the tune of $240, 000 should the former Secretary to DEPHA
decide to refuse an extension to his current transition duties," Mr
McKim said.

"In a document headed 'Assignment of Functions and Duties' signed by the
Premier in June this year it is clear that should Mr Gadd refuse an
extension to the December 2009 assignment expiry date this year, the
government will terminate his appointment and provide a payout of $240,
000."

"This FoI documentation makes it clear that the Premier's ham-fisted and
incompetent decision to abolish DEPHA without consulting public sector
workers or their unions, created serious friction between his office and
a senior public servant, which could cost the taxpayer $240, 000 should
Mr Gadd choose to forgo any of the extension or reassignment options."

 "The FoI material also shows that Mr Gadd did have an option to leave
immediately but the government could not force him to do so, which again
highlights the sheer stupidity of deciding to abolish an entire
Department in the knowledge that a contract was about to be renewed," Mr
McKim said.




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