Parramatta council boss sacked in rowdy late-night meeting

The City of Parramatta council has fired its chief executive Gail Connolly in a tense and rowdy meeting that stretched towards 11.30pm and revealed deep divisions within one of the city’s most powerful councils.

Nine councillors voted on Monday night to immediately terminate Connolly’s contract, three voted against and three abstained, following a series of controversies first reported in this masthead. These included allegations that she made inappropriate remarks to staff and was negotiating to exit the organisation, and a Supreme Court judgment that found she had improperly withheld documents from councillors about the censuring of a fellow councillor.

Connolly’s termination, made while she was on an extended period of sick leave, is effective immediately. George Bounassif, who has been acting as chief executive in Connolly’s absence, has been appointed as acting chief executive of the council, while Liberal lord mayor Martin Zaiter was given “the authority to make all relevant and reasonable decisions that are necessary to implement the decision to terminate the employment of Gail Connolly”.

In a statement sent at 10 minutes past midnight, Zaiter said: “Since joining in March 2023, Ms Connolly PSM has led the delivery of a number of significant projects and initiatives for the City of Parramatta.

“I would like to assure our community and ratepayers that our councillors, executive team and staff remain committed to delivering on our services and commitments and making the City of Parramatta the best place to live, work and play.”

The dismissal of one of Sydney’s most prominent council bosses came as a surprise, having not been listed on the council’s meeting agenda. Towards the end of the meeting, which was drawn out due to multiple technology failures, councillors voted to suspend standing orders and moved the meeting into a confidential session “to discuss a personnel matter”.

Members of the public and council staff left the council chambers and milled around the top level of the council’s PHIVE building. Over the next hour and 39 minutes, Parramatta Square’s evening silence was punctuated only by the occasional yelling of Liberal councillor Steven Issa and Labor councillor Patricia Prociv, which could be heard from inside the chamber.

Connolly had led the council since 2023, having previously served as general manager of Ryde and Georges River councils. She was appointed by the council after a five-councillor selection panel recommended her for the job. But her appointment was mired in controversy from the start.

In the days after she was appointed, a senior council executive reported “irregular negotiation practices” and “insistent candidate choices” in a 15-page dossier to the Independent Commission Against Corruption. The body made no findings, and referred the matter to the Office of Local Government.

Minutes before 11.30pm, the time by which council meetings are required to finish, Zaiter reopened the meeting to the public and sighed before reading the motion.

Liberal Georgina Valjak, who was on the selection committee that picked Connolly, and Labor councillors Cameron MacLean and Hayley French abstained from the vote.

Apart from Valjak, all Liberal councillors voted to terminate Connolly’s contract, as well as independent Kellie Darley, Labor’s Sameer Pandey, Green Judy Greenwood and the Lorraine Wearne Independents’ deputy mayor, Charles Chen.

Only Labor councillors Anthony Ellard, Michael Ng and Patricia Prociv voted against it.

Connolly did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment but in a statement provided to the Daily Telegraph was reported to say she was “immensely proud of what has been achieved in the past two-and-a-half years”.

“In public life, leaders have a duty not to remain silent on issues such as inappropriate behaviour and corruption. I encourage my local government colleagues to continue to speak out for the health of the sector and for our local communities.”

With Ellie Busby

The Sydney Morning Herald has opened a bureau in the heart of Parramatta. Email parramatta@smh.com.au with news tips.