True Leadership is Taking Responsibility

It turns out that the police’s investigation of Rick Hiley’s alleged data theft had a different conclusion to that of the PMSA’s “thorough” investigation which they refused to release the results of publicly.

By way of background

It may interest followers to be reminded of some public and very “definitive” PMSA responses to the issue that started all of this mess back in 2017. We have extracted some of the more relevant statements below:

Mr Adsett on the 27th of October 2017 on ABC radio interview

Mr Adsett: “What I can say is that we implemented an investigation which was rigorous and robust and cleared Mr Hiley of any misuse of that data”.

“The circumstances of that matter have been completely distorted by the media and there were no inappropriate standards of behaviour.”

Steve Austin: “So the stories in the paper appear to have been targeting Mr Hiley in particular, the management body has investigated fully and that man has done nothing wrong?”

Mr Adsett: “Yes, that is correct.”

Steve Austin: “Is it correct all data has been returned to the school, the hard drive it was on?”

Mr Adsett: “What is correct to say that (sic) all the data has been deleted and destroyed.”

It is very interesting that the police investigation determined that there was sufficient evidence to charge Mr Hiley with Fraud, whereas the very “rigorous” PMSA internal investigation and subsequent report that was produced by them apparently provided precisely the opposite conclusion. So much so, that the PMSA thought it appropriate NOT to disclose the contents of the report and basis for the conclusions reached and instead became Mr Hiley’s public “advocate”. This was despite furious public demands for them to demonstrate the integrity of that process.

We make no comment on whether the charges are likely to result in a conviction as the court process must be allowed occur and Mr Hiley must be given his day in court to defend them. But our point is that the basis for the PMSA’s very definitive conclusion that there was no wrongdoing must be called into question and those responsible for managing that process and the shambolic consequences that followed must finally be called upon to take personal responsibility.

What does Beyond PMSA want?

The police didn’t have to lay charges. They did so because they consider that there is a case to answer. The only appropriate and responsible corporate governance response to this latest development is for the board members/councilors that were on the Board and collectively owned the “rigorous and robust” investigation of Mr Hiley in 2017 to resign immediately.

And if all 2017 Church appointees don’t resign on their own accord, then the only appropriate course of action for the Churches to restore faith and confidence, would be to use their constitutional powers to remove them.

It’s time to own your decisions. It’s time to own your silence.

We are not going away.

Beyond PMSA