Letting of Contracts at Central TAFE Public Hearing AM session

10/20/mjd
I accept what you say, there are two streams if you like.
On the one side you have procurement and that's governed by
the supply policies of the State Supply Commission which
require open and competitive competition and on the other
hand you have employment and that's governed by the public
sector standards which also require open and competitive
merit based selection processes and because those two areas
govern the different sides the field is covered, is it not,
that open and competitive policies cover both sides?
---Yeah, well the public sector standards apply to
employment over six months. Now, the problem with Arwa's
casual employment was that it was never supposed to go
beyond that throughout the process. So once again that was
something that occurred fairly regularly, that every time
she was given something it seemed to be extended on.
Do you accept as a proposition that casual employment
should not be used as a tool to avoid procurement
procedures?---As a principle, yes, but in reality they are
two separate processes and I don't think that was even a
consideration. It was, "Can I employ someone as a casual
for this period of time under the GOSAC arrangements?" The
answer is yes. So it's how the question gets asked I
guess.
If you do that you can defeat the State Supply Commission's
supply policies, can't you?---That was probably never put
as a question.
Did you in your position as acting general manger sit over
both the procurement cell and the HR cell at Central TAFE?
---Yes, I did.
So you had responsibility to govern the whole question?
---Yes. Yes.
Both on the procurement side and on the employment side.
Correct?---Yes. But in a day to day sense I wasn't
necessarily involved in advice given or, you know, actions
taken.
In hindsight knowing what you do now would you concede that
it was inappropriate to employ her on a casual basis at the
end of phase 3 in the way that Central TAFE did?---Perhaps
with hindsight yes but I can also understand how it
happened. I mean, it seemed like a reasonable thing to do.
There was the capacity to do it. If someone wanted to
interpret it that way which is obviously what's being put
to me now then, yes, I could see that that could have
occurred but - - -
There are two questions here. The question of whether it
can be done and whether it should be done, isn't it?---Yes.
And the question of can it be done in this way, employing
4/10/06 MUSSON, S.D. XN 190
10.47
Spark & Cannon