Corruption allegations against former NSW planning boss investigated

The allegations were revealed yesterday during an explosive NSW Parliamentary hearing into the multi billion dollar urban renewal of Redfern and Waterloo.

ICAC is looking into the appointment of two senior staff made by Robert Domm when he was chief of the Redfern Waterloo Authority.

Mr Domm had been appointed by former Planning Minister Frank Sartor in 2004 after he left the his position as General manager of City of Sydney Council after relations with councillors soured. He later took on the role of CEO of the Australian Technology Park as well before leaving both positions late last year to head the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.

During the hearing Greens MP Sylvia Hale asked both the Minister for Planning and Redfern Waterloo, Kristina Keneally, and the current chief of RWA, Roy Wakelin-King, about the allegations which were contained in a letter sent to Ms Keneally last year.

A letter containing similar allegations was sent to Premier Nathan Rees’ Office in February this year. Both were signed off with “RWA staff”.

They alleged Mr Domm appointed two unqualified associates from his days as general manager of City of Sydney Council to senior management positions without a proper recruitment process.

The two appointees were Peter Vladeta to the role of general manager of the RWA and Chris Saunders who was made general manager of the Australian Technology Park.

In a section of the letter read out during the committee hearing by Ms Hale, the unknown author alleged, “blatant political nepotism by former RWA-CEO Robert Domm”.

Mr Domm said he had not yet been made aware of the events in yesterday’s hearing but denied the claims made in the letters.

“I have no comment other than to say I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to answer for,” he said.

Neither Ms Keneally or Mr Wakelin-King would confirm if the two appointments followed legal recruitment procedures for public servants or if the roles were publicly advertised.

“The questions you are asking relate to activities that would have occurred either before I became the Minister or before Mr Wakelin-King became the chief executive officer,” Ms Keneally told the hearing.

“We have referred them to the ICAC and, as Mr Wakelin-King has indicated, there is an investigation under way and it would be inappropriate for him to comment until that is concluded.”

During the hearing Ms Hale pressed Mr Wakelin-King for an explanation about why Mr Vladeta’s contract had been terminated last year and if he had received a payout.

Mr Wakelin-King told the committee that the termination was “part of the overall reductions in relation to SES positions that occurred at the end of last year.”

He was unable to say if Mr Vladeta had received a payout and took the question on notice. 

Source: http://sydney-central.whereilive.com.au/news/story/ex-rwa-boss-investigated-for-corruption-by-icac/

The Enquiry Transcript can be downloaded from the NSW Parliament website http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/a1b9ec57a541c7c4ca257633007c8d2f/$FILE/090916%20Planning,%20Redfern%20Waterloo.pdf File is 203 KB - Questions covering Redfern can be found on pages 23-26, 28 & 48-50.