“He is a thorough gentleman and one of the best CEOs I have ever worked with,” said the manager of the USU’s Sydney branch, Steve Donley.
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However, the mayor did not share his sentiment. Matters came to a head during a heated discussion on April 16 about the budget and staffing.
At a meeting with the mayor, the deputy mayor and the head of corporate services, Ajaka allegedly told Mannoun to “shut the f— up”.
Following a two-hour closed council session on April 24, the council voted to suspend Ajaka pending an external investigation.
Before the investigation was completed, in a private session at the next council meeting on May 29, the mayor used his casting vote to “terminate the employment of John Ajaka … without notice and with immediate effect.”
Despite half the council voting against the termination and lodging a recision motion, within four minutes of the meeting ending, Ajaka received an email informing him he’d been sacked.
Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun, left, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in April.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
This was followed by a media release, which has since disappeared from the council’s website, announcing Ajaka’s dismissal.
The release was sent by the acting CEO, Jason Breton, a former detective who ran the controversial investigation into the alleged pack rape of a 20-year-old woman by Bulldogs NRL players at a Coffs Harbour resort in 2004. No charges were laid.
Although he missed out on the CEO’s job when Ajaka was appointed, Breton was given another senior role.
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The following day, the five councillors issued a press release expressing concerns Ajaka had not been offered procedural fairness and his sacking may lead to expensive legal proceedings for which ratepayers would have to pay.
They also expressed concern at the mayor’s actions. “Mayor Mannoun is the claimant in the current investigation and therefore there is a clear conflict of interest.
“For him to exercise the deciding vote to determine the outcome undermines the principles of procedural fairness,” their press release said.
When asked about these concerns, Mannoun said Ajaka’s dismissal was going to be debated at the next council meeting “so it would not be proper for me – or anyone else – to comment until it is debated by the council.”
“At the end of the day we formed a view based on John’s actions and conduct during his employment,” he said. “In terms of procedural fairness, there’s a whole code of conduct process for that. If they thought I had breached procedural fairness they could have hit me with a code of conduct [violation] but they have not done it.”
‘That’s just the reality of the landscape … at the end of the day, Greta Thunberg isn’t going to come work with me.’
Liverpool mayor Ned Mannoun on why he has hired many fellow Liberals to work with him
In relation to the council’s hiring of many Liberal-aligned political figures, Mannoun said: “We have a federal Labor government and state Labor in government in every state except Tasmania. If you go out recruiting for these roles [in local government], most of the applicants are going to be Liberals.
“That’s just the reality of the landscape at the moment … At the end of the day, Greta Thunberg isn’t going to come work with me.”
Mannoun said the council had insurance to cover termination payouts but conceded the cost would be borne by ratepayers.
“Ned v Ajaka has been like Game of Thrones,” messaged one council insider. “Now we have [an] OLG inquiry which is tipped to trigger council suspension by [an] angry minister.”
Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig says he is concerned at the state of Liverpool Council.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
The person was referring to Liverpool Council’s actions, in both the hiring and firing of Ajaka and other senior staff, becoming the subject of a probe by the Office of Local Government.
The terms of reference include whether the council’s recruitment process has been merit-based or “whether there were any conflicts of interest which may have influenced recruitment.” Whether the council’s finances have suffered due to termination payouts will also be examined.
Announcing the investigation, Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig said, “Elected officials have a responsibility to their communities to operate effectively and efficiently, and I’m concerned about the level of dysfunction within Liverpool Council that is playing out publicly.”
Comment was sought from Ajaka.
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