Questions are being asked surrounding the lack of clarity around the decision to dismiss former NSW Department of Primary Industries director-general Scott Hansen and what the future of the DPI, based in Orange, will look like.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Leader of the Nationals in the Upper House, Sarah Mitchell has moved a SO52 motion to force the release of the functional review papers, due on or before February 28.
The motion was passed in the Upper House on February 7, and with Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty due to sit in budget estimates this week, the review papers were still yet to be released.
When Mr Hansen was dismissed on Friday, January 19, there were fears among farmers and DPI staff alike that Australia's largest provider of rural research and development would be absorbed into a "super department" inside the Department of Regional NSW.
The change to leadership arrangements of the DPI came after a review by secretary of the Department of Regional NSW, Rebecca Fox, with Sean Sloan who is the current deputy director-general Fisheries acting in the role on an interim basis.
Questions have surrounded the dismissal of Mr Hansen who had 10 years experience in the role and was widely respected in the agriculture sector.
At a budget estimates hearing, Ms Fox was asked if the DPI would remain in its current format.
"I am committed to an operating model that is very clear for our stakeholders and our staff and I can't see why that won't continue," she said.
"My view is that it remains as a stand alone division within whatever department the government decides.
"They will remain as a business unit under the broader department."
Asked if the name of the DPI will be changed, Ms Fox said she thinks it is something which should be looked at.
Ms Fox was asked why she terminated the employment of Mr Hansen which she provided no clear answer for, but confirmed that Mr Hansen, who was a Band 3 public servant, would be replaced by a Band 3 public servant, ruling out budgetary reasons for the dismissal.
A spokesperson for the Department of Regional NSW would not say if there were going to be any further changes to the DPI structure or when an update on how the DPI structure was going to look would be released.
The spokesperson did say the NSW Government has undertaken a number of cross sector reviews of the NSW public sector.
"As part of this process, all NSW Government departments have been asked to ensure staff, resources and culture are aligned with the government's priorities and best support the efficient and effective delivery of functions and services," they said.
Upon his dismissal, Mr Hansen penned a letter to the 2500 DPI staff which said he was told by secretary Fox that there would be changes made to the department as well as the leadership.
As Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, the review falls under the portfolio of Dugald Saunders who said people need to know what happened.
"It's important to have clarity around what actually happened in the case of one of the state's most senior public servants being summarily dismissed with really no notice," he said.
"While being asked pointedly to provide details, the minister claimed it has nothing to do with her and it was all on the secretary."
Mr Saunders said he also fears for the future of the DPI.
"My fear is there is a push to centralise control of those departments," he said.
