Tensions run high at Perth council meeting over former CEO’s sacking

Tensions within the City of Perth council over the dismissal of former chief executive Michelle Reynolds were loudly on display at a meeting on Wednesday night.

Councillor Catherine Lezer left the city’s ordinary council meeting when asked by a member of the public whether she had made any contact with Reynolds since she was placed on leave on May 20. Reynolds was later sacked by the council on September 23.

Responding to the question, Lezer said she had begun writing an email to the former chief executive about many different topics.

“The substance of [the email] was something like, when Michelle Reynolds stepped in to become CEO in August 2020, she stepped into an organisation that was reeling from the previous inquiry,” she said.

“She immediately launched the evolution to excellence and implemented all of the 215 Perth inquiry recommendations by 2024, and turning the City into a high-performance service organisation.”

But Lezer was interrupted by Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds, who called a point of order and told her to answer the question with relevance.

“The question is: have you had any contact with the CEO over that period of time? Not necessarily about whether or not you wrote an email,” he said.

Lezer continued her response by saying, “Michelle Reynolds’ leadership was defined by a people-first philosophy that has transformed the city’s internal culture,” before the lord mayor interrupted again, requesting she answered the question.

“I need an answer for this, so we can move on, please,” he said.

“It’s irrelevant the line of answer that you’re taking at the moment. The question is: have you had any direct contact with the CEO, it’s a yes or a no … and if the answer is no, you can just say no and move on.”

Lezer responded sternly: “I can’t give you a yes or a no … I have a lot to say about the answer.”

Notably frustrated, Lezer began packing up her things before leaving the council chambers.

“Well, they’re not going to get the answer. I’m sorry to Mr Chapman that he’s not going to get his answer, and I refuse to sit here while the chair silences me for talking about the CEO,” she said.

Lezer did not return to the meeting.

In August, prior to Reynolds’ dismissal, Lezer made a motion to reinstate the former chief executive into her role, but that was knocked back by her fellow councillors.

Earlier on Wednesday night, the lord mayor addressed Michelle Reynolds’ sacking and said the decision did not come “quickly, casually, or without extensive or robust processes”.

He also made a point of addressing council members speaking out on the issue in a personal manner.

“Every elected member has the right to disagree and the right to vote on a decision. Every elected member has the right to ask difficult questions and express an opinion. That’s democracy,” he said.

“But there is a difference between opinions and facts, and there is also a difference between information you know as a private citizen and information you receive because you hold public office.

“Simply saying that you are speaking in a personal capacity does not remove responsibility and statutory obligations that come with being an elected member.

“The standards should be simple: if something is presented as fact, you better make sure that it’s correct, and if something is confidential, you better protect it.

“To those who are doing the right thing, you should be commended. If we want to change the culture of this council. That responsibility belongs to every single one of us.”