An anti-corruption inquiry in New South Wales is examining whether three friends who held influential roles at a western Sydney council, referring to themselves as the 'Pink Ops', manipulated recruitment and promotion procedures to favour their acquaintances.
Public Hearings Commence
The Independent Commission against Corruption (Icac) commenced its first day of public hearings on Monday, focusing on allegations involving Parramatta council's former chief executive Gail Connolly, along with council employees Roxanne Thornton and Angela Jones-Blayney, as well as other staff members.
Counsel assisting Joanna Davidson SC stated that the three women had previously been part of a group at Ryde council known as the 'Pink Ladies', 'Pink Ops', or 'Pops'. The name was described as a pun on the term 'Black Ops'.
Social Network and Allegations
Davidson explained that the group participated in social events, including dinners and weekend getaways, and maintained communication through WhatsApp, with thousands of messages exchanged even after their time working together. The evidence is expected to show that this long-standing close network influenced key decisions later made at Parramatta.
Icac is investigating whether Connolly and other staff conducted covert electronic surveillance and targeted employees for reprisals, including termination. Connolly was appointed chief executive in March 2023. Davidson alleged that an unsuccessful attempt to reconsider her appointment through a rescission motion marked an early division between staff perceived as supporters and opponents of the new CEO.
'This was a divide that it is alleged later influenced both scrutiny and reprisal,' the barrister said.
Recruitment and Conflicts of Interest
Davidson indicated that the evidence would suggest a potential broader objective to create staff vacancies aligned with Connolly, and later Thornton and Jones-Blayney, who were loyal to Connolly personally and sometimes connected to her personally. This includes substantial questions about the recruitment processes for hiring Thornton and Jones-Blayney after Connolly's appointment, as well as other members of the 'Pink Ops' group.
While relationships in local government are not inherently problematic, Davidson argued that during Connolly's tenure, they were not always managed with transparency, proper boundaries, and disclosure of conflicts of interest. This included Connolly's alleged preference for using personal email accounts and avoiding putting things in writing to prevent their release via freedom of information requests.
Joint Social Media Profile and Signatures
The inquiry heard that the trust between Connolly and Thornton was such that during their time at Georges River council, they maintained a jointly controlled Facebook profile under a fictitious name to comment on council-related matters. Davidson alleged that when Connolly was in a hurry to sign her employment contract at Parramatta, she wrote Thornton's signature as a witness, even though Thornton was not present.
Davidson further alleged that Connolly assisted Thornton's appointment to Parramatta council, first as chief governance and risk officer, then to the permanent position of group manager in the office of the lord mayor and CEO. This included removing an essential requirement for the chief governance officer to hold a law degree.
Thornton, after starting at the council, allegedly helped Connolly with a restructure that created a position similar to the one Thornton later occupied as group manager, arranging for her temporary appointment to the role, which became permanent in February 2024.
Nepotism and Misuse of Public Funds
The inquiry will also examine alleged assistance provided by Connolly in appointing her niece to a senior executive assistant role at the council last year. Additionally, it will look into whether the former CEO and other staff misused public funds to facilitate staff exits through 'deeds of release'.
In July last year, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the council spent $5.2 million on removing 81 staff between January 2022 and May 2025. Later that month, the council was raided by the corruption watchdog.
Parramatta council voted to terminate Connolly from her position in October last year. Connolly has denied any wrongdoing. Guardian Australia directed questions to Thornton and Jones-Blayney via Parramatta Council, but a spokesperson said the council would not comment while the inquiry is underway.
The inquiry, overseen by Icac chief commissioner John Hatzistergos, is expected to hold four weeks of public hearings.
