PMSA Chair points to 'independent investigation'...really?
What's going on?
I keep getting emails from my school saying there was an investigation which exonerated Mr Rick Hiley and Inspector Robert McCall (former PMSA Chair) you say.
Recall that these are the two gentlemen at the heart of the 4.5 star Best Western Spa watching "Eddie the Eagle" PG movie fame. Let's have a look at what current PMSA Chair Mr Greg Adsett (Architect) has said;
"The PMSA commissioned an independent investigation into the matters around that termination. That investigation was carried out by workplace investigation experts.
Over several weeks, the investigators interviewed nine people in relation to this matter.
The investigation cleared the terminated employee, Rick Hiley, of any wrongdoing. Mr Hiley, whose performance at Somerville House over five years was exemplary, then began employment as PMSA Executive Manager. Mr Hiley has performed very well since beginning in his role with the PMSA."
2 points to note;
1 - the independent investigation was commissioned by the PMSA... ie Inspector Robert McCall, former chairman of the PMSA, and 4.5 star Best Western Spa advocate.
2- investigate cleared Mr Hiley of wrongdoing.
Two Somerville House Independent Councillors have issued a joint statement refuting the claims of this investigation being independent. Not all facts were considered (text messages, scope was narrow etc), secondly, they have never seen the report. The report went to Inspector McCall Chair of the PMSA.
The reality
Now read an excerpt from the joint statement from Independent Councillors Mr Ian Macdonald and Mrs Sarah Kelly;
"Mr Adsett has repeatedly proclaimed in public that the Investigative Report was independent and completely exonerated Mr Hiley. He has also referred on morning radio to transparency.
In terms of the Investigative Report:
The 3 independent community members made repeated requests to be shown the Investigative Report;
Mr Adsett and the PMSA have repeatedly refused to provide a copy of the Investigative Report to the 3 independent community members;
The refusal has been on the stated basis that the PMSA wishes to preserve the confidentiality of the Investigative Report;
The 3 independent community members also unsuccessfully attempted through solicitors correspondence directed to the PMSA’s solicitors to obtain a copy of the Investigative Report;
As a result, the 3 independent community member and the Principal have never seen the Investigative Report however the PMSA members of the Somerville School Council have not only read the report but have made their own interpretations of its content;
The PMSA (by Mr Adsett) did confirm to the 3 independent community members at a meeting on 15 August 2017 that the extensive text messages passing between Mr Hiley and Mr McCall (some of which have since been referred to in newspaper articles) were not briefed to Q Workplace Solutions for the purpose of their investigation;
The 3 independent community members also understand that the alleged data breaches relating to the Somerville House Foundation, TAFE and Lifeline were not the subject of the investigation by Q Workplace Solutions;
The 3 independent Community Members have never been shown or provided with a copy of the Deloitte Report which has been referred to in the Australian. They also understand that the Principal Mrs Kearney was never shown a copy of that report.
10. By an email to the school community dated 12 October 2017 Mr Adsett and the current chairman of the Somerville House School Council, Mr Demack, stated, in reference to the Investigative Report, that the PMSA had “discussed those matters with the School Council”."
Who do you believe?
