City of Perth turmoil intensifies as lord mayor hands workplace probe to local government inspector

3 months ago 10

The City of Perth has been thrown into fresh turmoil, with the lord mayor requesting a state government inspector investigation after abandoning the controversial workplace culture review he pushed through last month.

The move came during a tense agenda meeting on Tuesday evening, which attracted a packed gallery of ratepayers and residents.

Their vocal support for one another prompted lord mayor Bruce Reynolds to label them a “cheer squad”.

Reynolds opened the meeting with a 15-minute speech defending his November 18 urgent motion, which councillors were given six minutes to read before voting on, authorising a $125,000 review by a law firm.

Reynolds said he acted out of concern for former staff who had raised “serious concerns” over safety and culture, including “psychosocial hazards”, and that there were “concerning” public reviews about the workplace.

“There is a duty to act promptly, not sit on our hands,” he said in his speech. “This was about transparency, good governance and supporting staff.”

But he acknowledged the move had “become the subject of competing legal commentary, public dispute and media noise” and he would vote in favour of its revocation.

“We cannot allow the city to be dragged into a governance crisis simply to prove I was right on a process point,” Reynolds said.

“If the city is to be seen to be locked in open warfare between its governing body and its administration, the state will not only act, but it could be pressured to act, and that outcome will damage confidence in this council and in local government.”

Reynolds said he would formally ask incoming Local Government Inspector Tony Brown to conduct a full independent review of the city’s workplace culture.

Brown starts in the newly created state government role on January 1, 2026.

The shift follows the dramatic resignation of acting chief executive Peta Mabbs, who wrote a critical agenda item on the workplace motion warning the decision was “not a lawful decision and therefore cannot be implemented”, citing insufficient notice and no opportunity for questions.

A city spokesperson confirmed in the meeting Mabbs tendered her resignation late last week and would remain employed in her substantive role during her notice period.

Deputy Mayor David Goncalves told the meeting Mabbs had already been transitioning toward retirement before the dispute, which he said should be made public.

Senior executive Wendy Attenborough has been appointed acting chief executive for the next fortnight, until chief executive Michelle Reynolds returns from pre-approved leave.

Reynolds’ speech was followed by a public deputation from East Perth ratepayer Vicki Raniszewski, who accused the lord mayor of pushing through the workplace review.

“Urgency provisions should only be used in genuine emergencies. Not in ways that compress timeframes, limit participation or undermine transparency,” she said.

Her remarks drew loud clapping and “yeahs” from the gallery. Reynolds replied: “You have got the cheer squad in today, well done.”

Councillor Catherine Lezer’s husband, Dr Kevin McIsaac, also delivered a pointed deputation, describing the motion as “ill-conceived and unlawful”, urging new councillors not to be “bullied” into supporting motions in the future.

Newly elected councillor Chris Patton responded directly, saying, “I was not bullied,” and argued he supported the review because he believed supporting staff was essential, and the cost was minor in the context of the city’s budget.

Fellow new councillor Lisa Ma agreed, thanking McIsaac but adding: “It was from my own thinking and my own understanding.”

Councillors Lezer and Raj Doshi were openly critical of the process, asking multiple questions of both the mayor and the administration.

Lezer pressed Reynolds on why Mills Oakley had been chosen, asking if he had used the firm before personally or professionally.

Reynolds replied, “definitely not”, and said he contacted them for a preliminary estimate because they had conducted similar work for other local governments.

Doshi asked whether Reynolds had checked on the wellbeing of all councillors and staff after the issue became public.

Reynolds said he emailed everyone the next day, but Doshi questioned whether that met his duty of care and whether he should have contacted people individually.

The revocation motion is expected to be voted on at next week’s ordinary council meeting.