The Chief Commissioner of Tasmania’s Integrity Commission has addressed what he says is ‘unwarranted speculation’ following the departure of a top executive.
Commission CEO Michael Easton quietly resigned recently, leading opposition leader Rebecca White to accuse the state government of not being transparent and not prioritising integrity.
“It is highly unusual for no statement to be made about this important position and for Tasmanians to find out through a job ad that the government is recruiting for this role,” White said on Saturday.
“The Rockliff Liberal Government is known for being secretive and integrity has never been high on its priority list. Being honest and transparent is almost like an afterthought for them.”
“Premier Jeremy Rockliff must explain the circumstances around this vacancy, why the CEO has decided to leave and whether there is an acting person in this role.”
But Chief Commissioner Greg Melick dismissed the “current speculation” as “incorrect and unwarranted” and said Easton’s departure was due to “personal and lifestyle reasons”.
“Michael’s decision to move on is not linked to the recent Commission of Inquiry nor is there any reason other than his personal reasons for him to leave his position at the Commission,” Melick said.
“The Commission remains strongly independent, however under Michael’s leadership it has sought to be an agent for change, using its investigations and research to bolster the Commission’s educative and preventative functions.”
Melick said Easton has held various roles within the organisation since 2015 and had left the board “very satisfied” in terms of his performance.
The state government has confirmed that Easton will remain in his position while a recruitment process with a starting salary of $209,001 is underway.
