CITY of Ballarat councillors are currently meeting formally to discuss the findings of the State Ombudsman\u2019 report into the conduct of CEO Justine Linley.<\/p>\n
We spoke to most councillors on their way into the meeting.<\/p>\n
Cr Grant Tillertt<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a disappointing report\u2026 The end results, we\u2019ll wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe [CEO Justine Linley] has changed the culture dramatically on her way though, make absolutely no mistake about that. There has been a massive change in culture, positive, from my perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cr Des Hudson<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an important meeting we\u2019re having, and Blind Freddy would know we\u2019re here to discuss that outcome of the Ombudsman\u2019s report.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a serious document and we need to take that into consideration and council will do that at the meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cr Mark Harris<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe findings in the Ombudsman\u2019s report are findings, not accusations, so we\u2019ve got to make some decisions and take some actions, and people want that done expeditiously and it\u2019s got to be done correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn many respects, the Ombudsman\u2019s office is not like a judicial process you\u2019d normally see\u2026 but it does have short comings. You just wonder about the natural justice of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c2020\u2019s been a shit of a year. We should be doing other things other than what we\u2019re doing now.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cr Amy Johnson<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe councillors will be having a discussion this evening about her [CEO Justine Linley] tenure at the City of Ballarat in relation to the finding made in the Ombudsman\u2019s report.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy thoughts on the report at what\u2019s contained within it are incredibly disappointing and concerning and that\u2019s a view shared by a majority of the councillor group, I believe.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cr Jim Rinaldi<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very disappointed with the report. As councillors we expect everything must be governate controlled.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re disappointed as a council and I\u2019m sure the city is as well but natural justice has to take its course at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n