19 July 2011

All male panel to choose new CEO

What a disappointment. The same thing happened 4 years ago when we selected Ray Pincombe. The first discussion I had with him at that time was that this should not have happened and was given a reassurance that Unley would never again present a single sex panel for the selection of a member of staff or the CEO. What I find most galling about this decision is that we are less likely to get the right applicants or choose the right person without the balance in the decision making that equity brings to it. Choosing a CEO is probably the single most important thing that Council does, get this right and what we as Councillors wish to deliver to our electors is more likely to happen. So, am I just a poor loser? I think not, I would be more than happy to have the other female Councillor on the panel and if she had wished to stand I would not have put my name in the mix. Just think for one moment, if you are male what chance you think you would have of getting a professional position if the panel was all female, maybe if you knew the panel would be all female you might even choose not to write an application. In my work (teaching and schools) it has been essential for all panels to have have at least one male and one female member for over 20 years. I have written to the CEO this morning to see what he intends to do to alter this outcome.


http://www.deakin.edu.au/equity-diversity/assets/resources/gender-equity-in-workplace-2011.pdf

4 comments:

  1. Just when I thought Council was starting to get it right. There must be quite a number of Councillors who know of the concept of gender equity (or at least a semblance of balance). Why did they not voice their thoughts - leaving it up to a female to bring forward the idea of having both males and females represented on the selection panel for the new CEO. How hollow the CEO's words seem now that it would never happen again.

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  2. I'm working through this with the Mayor, he has given me his commitment to gender equity and encouraged me to put a motion to that effect at the Council meeting in August. We'll see what eventuates.

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  3. Gender equity is a very wide spread issue and is addressed in panel selection from universities, government departments, etc. I am very surprised that Council let this one slip through. Who was asleep on the watch? Is there a person in council that advises on such issues?

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  4. The dinosaurs in Unley are still alive and well. Despite an amendment from Cr Tipper to include gender diversity on the selection panel and a plea from the Mayor and the CEO they would not be swayed. Crs Hudson, Koumi, Sangster, Hughes, Lapidge and Salaman simply have not seen the meteorite coming. They actually believe that opening their minds to new information should not change their vote. The people of Unley have been poorly served by this decision.

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