By Jeremy Cook & Lucy Waldron
A former mayor has labelled the Southern Downs Regional Council’s sudden axing of its own chief executive while away on holiday as an “absolute disgrace”.
The council’s now-former CEO Dave Burges is understood to have been on long service leave when all but two councillors voted in favour of terminating his employment during an ordinary council meeting on Wednesday.
Ron Bellingham, who was elected and held the title of Southern Downs Mayor for four years from 2008, said there was “no fairness” in what had been done.
“I feel embarrassed that our community and a representative of our community could treat an employee of our ratepayers so disgracefully,” Mr Bellingham told Warwick/Stanthorpe Today.
“There was a procedure that I would expect to be followed,” he said.
“The man was due for his annual performance assessment when he came back from his long service leave.”
Mr Bellingham became the first ever mayor to be elected to the Southern Downs Regional Council after the Shires of Warwick and Stanthorpe amalgamated in 2008. He had previously served as mayor of the old Warwick Shire for eight years.
Mr Bellingham said councillors should have given Mr Burges “the opportunity to fix the problems” which they were dissatisfied with.
The Southern Downs Regional Council has resisted releasing further details surrounding the move to terminate Mr Burges’ employment despite repeated enquiries from this masthead after Wednesday’s meeting.
Warwick/Stanthorpe Today sent a list of questions to Mayor Melissa Hamilton asking for details on the termination.
None of the questions were answered specifically, however Mayor Hamilton did provide a statement insisting the council was restricted under the Local Government Act from commenting further on the employment details of any council employees including the CEO.
“This includes the provisions of Mr Burges contract, including the termination provisions and any related discussions with Mr Burges,” Cr Hamilton said.
“Steve Johnston is currently Acting CEO and will continue in the position during the recruitment process,” she said.
“The recruitment process will be done through a robust, merit-based application process using external recruitment specialists.”
Mr Burges spent four years as the council’s CEO after his appointment in mid-2020. His hiring followed the departure of controversial former CEO David Keenan. The previous council administration had awarded Mr Burges a four-year contract which commenced in September 2023.
It is not known what the financial implications of the now-former CEO’s sudden departure will be. The council has yet to answer why such action was taken.
It also remains unclear as to when Steve Johnston began in the role of acting CEO. Mr Johnston’s last local government posting was with Bundaberg Regional Council as CEO before he tendered his resignation in April this year.
There has been no indication yet as to whether Mr Johnston will step into the role permanently.
In response to a question asking which section of legislation prevented the council from commenting further on the matter, Cr Hamilton referred to part five of the Local Government Act. She added further comment would also “be in breach of the information privacy principles as outlined in the Information Privacy Act 2009”.
A spokesman for the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works said the CEO had been employed by the council under the Local Government Act.
“As such, this is an operational matter for the council,” the spokesman said.
Wednesday’s decision sparked outrage on social media with users on private forums queuing up to sledge the council for the move.
All councillors were offered an opportunity by this masthead to explain why they personally chose to vote the way they did at Wednesday’s meeting.
Councillor Joel Richters, who voted in favour of terminating Mr Burges’ employment, said he felt “confident” that the way he voted “was in the best interest of the ratepayers of the Southern Downs”.
“As I said in the meeting, I thank Dave for the time that he did spend with us and I wish him the best for the future,” Cr Richters said.
“We were presented with the information, we had options and the way that I voted was in my opinion the most responsible way to be voting on behalf of the people who elected us,” he said.
Councillor Russell Wantling, who alongside Councillor Ross Bartley voted to oppose the dismissal, said he did not support the motion as he personally believed the council had not had “a more professional and hardworking CEO in recent memory”.
“It is my personal opinion that Dave was a huge asset to the Southern Downs Region and as a CEO his calm mannerism helped steady the organisation,” Cr Wantling said.
“As a man who grew up in the area, and was looking to retire on the Southern Downs, I personally believe his decisions were always based around what was best for our entire community,” he said.
Cr Wantling said he acknowledged and respected the decision of fellow councillors.
Mr Bellingham said he could not recall anything like this happening during his time in local government.
“I did have an employee that needed to be dismissed… I negotiated with the councillors to get him an extension of a couple of months so he could retire gracefully and with his pride intact,” he said.
“If the council wants to do this then that is the appropriate way to treat it.”
In August, councillors had decided to delay a vote of confidence in Mr Burges’ tenure until December. That vote had been moved by Councillor Bartley.
Mr Burges has been contacted for comment.
