Jacksons Supplies

3 days ago

Imagine you’re the lead investigator tasked with investigating allegations of misconduct within a Government department.

You investigate your own department and find no wrongdoing.

Then some country-bumpkin firewood seller keeps pushing until the matter is looked at again; this time with external, independent statutory bodies involved.

Suddenly, the same investigation identified issues around:

• Contract management issues.
• Governance issues.
• Oversight issues.

Yikes.

If I were the original investigator, I’d probably be wondering how my investigation managed to miss all of that and what everyone else thinks of that.

But it gets better.

That same firewood seller then asks to be fairly compensated.

The response from the lead investigator?

“Under no circumstances is the Department going to pay you any money.”

Fast-forward about a year…

The State Government pays the small business.

& the peak statutory body describes the entire relationship as "disappointing and distressing."

OOFT.

I certainly wouldn’t want to be responsible for explaining the original investigation, the “no wrongdoing” conclusion, the refusal to pay a cent, and what happened afterwards when the evidence and timeline are put side-by-side publicly.

Nobody should be covering up misconduct to make their uniform look better than what it is.

At that point, I think the public is entitled to ask serious questions about the original investigation, its conclusions and the judgment behind them.

And my personal view is simple: it’s time for fresh leadership.

I suggest that investigator quietly and quickly step down and allow someone with a fresh perspective and a strong commitment to operational integrity to renew the position to the standard that participants and the public deserve.

He has had the opportunity to demonstrate that standard. In my view, the record speaks for itself.

He’s been tested. He failed the test. It’s time to go before another small family business is harmed.

Small businesses deserve accountability too.

Sincerely,
Bill Jackson
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Jacksons Supplies

3 weeks ago

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