The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is holding a public inquiry into claims of misconduct involving the former CEO of Parramatta City Council, Gail Connolly, and senior staff members Roxanne Thornton and Angela Jones-Blayney.

新南威爾斯州獨立反貪委員會（ICAC）正就 Parramatta 市議會前執行長 Gail Connolly，以及高級職員 Roxanne Thornton 和 Angela Jones-Blayney 涉嫌不當行為舉行公開調查。

The investigation focuses on a social network called the 'Pink Ladies,' which consisted of women working in local government. Evidence suggests that this group helped bypass official hiring rules. Specifically, documents show that Ms. Thornton helped friends get jobs, including Ms. Jones-Blayney, by changing application forms and sharing interview questions. Additionally, the commission looked into how Ms. Connolly was appointed, noting that Ms. Thornton's signature was copied to quickly finalize a contract worth $500,000 per year.

此次調查重點在於一個名為「粉紅女士」（Pink Ladies）的社交網絡，由在地方政府工作的女性組成。證據顯示，該團體協助規避了官方的招聘規則。具體而言，文件顯示 Thornton 女士透過修改申請表及分享面試問題，協助朋友獲得職位，其中包括 Jones-Blayney 女士。此外，委員會還調查了 Connolly 女士的任命過程，指出 Thornton 女士的簽名被複製，以快速完成一份每年價值 50 萬美元的合約。

Furthermore, the inquiry examined the illegal use of council systems to spy on employees. The Chief Technology Officer, John Crawford, testified that Ms. Connolly ordered the secret monitoring of staff and Councillor Kellie Darley, who had disagreed with a $1.15 million sponsorship deal for the Parramatta Eels. Mr. Crawford described the workplace as 'psychologically unsafe.' Similarly, another employee, Sheree Gover, was monitored after she filed complaints about bullying by Ms. Thornton and Ms. Jones-Blayney.

此外，調查還研究了非法利用議會系統監視員工的情況。首席技術官 John Crawford 證稱，Connolly 女士命令秘密監控員工及市議員 Kellie Darley，後者曾反對一項 115 萬美元的 Parramatta Eels 贊助協議。Crawford 先生將該工作環境形容為「心理上不安全」。同樣地，另一名員工 Sheree Gover 在對 Thornton 女士及 Jones-Blayney 女士舉報霸凌後，也受到了監控。

Finally, the commission is checking if public money was misused to pay employees to leave the organization. It is alleged that Ms. Connolly changed the company structure to remove certain staff members without consulting councillors or following proper rules. This included the firing of senior staff and a $350,000 payment to the head of HR, Bernadette Cavanagh, who reportedly left because she opposed Ms. Connolly's appointment.

最後，委員會正在核查是否有公帑被濫用於支付員工離職補償。據指控，Connolly 女士在未諮詢議員或遵循正當程序的情況下，更改公司結構以撤換特定職員。這包括解雇高級職員，以及向人事主管 Bernadette Cavanagh 支付 35 萬美元，據報後者離職是因為她反對 Connolly 女士的任命。

The inquiry is still continuing. Chief Commissioner John Hatzistergos will decide if corrupt behavior took place once all the evidence has been heard.

調查仍在繼續。首席專員 John Hatzistergos 將在聽取所有證據後，決定是否發生了腐敗行為。