Operation Navarra continues to examine Gail Connolly’s evidence for second day

Frustrated Chief Superintendent John Hatzistergos interrupted the hearing five times over Connolly’s answers. The latest relates to Connolly’s row with former HR boss Bernadette Cavanagh, who is dismissed in 2023 and leaves on a discharged note.

Connolly said he had offered Cavanagh a redundancy offer but had also heard rumors that a former council boss was headhunting him.

Hatzistergos: “Your evidence is that you want to offer an olive branch… now you tell us that Bay heard about it. [Brett] newman [former chief executive up to 2022]who has worked with him… had previously been in discussions with him about a title job, but unlike your previous text message, your offer [was] to do [her] unnecessary?”

Connolly: “Well, at the time I wasn’t sure if this would result in a dismissal or just a mutual agreement, so I sent him to negotiate. [industry body Local Government NSW] and Brendan Clifton…the nature of the exit.”

Hatzistergos has a long conversation with Connolly about what exactly the dismissal is.