Shadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today that another two Renewal SA Board Members had given evidence to a parliamentary inquiry saying the controversial Gillman land deal should have gone to competitive tender.
This evidence to the Gillman Select Committee from former Board Member, Mike Terlet, and current Board Member, Helen Fulcher, is a massive “thumbs down” to the process adopted by Mr Weatherill and Mr Koutsantonis.
Mr Terlet felt so angered by the Government’s process he resigned from his position as a Board Member:
“…given that I had been in business in senior roles for 40 years and had generated what I believe is an excellent reputation of honesty and integrity, I didn’t want to be one day longer than was absolutely necessary in an organisation that had participated in this process, lest I be actually tarred with the same brush, as they say.” (Mike Terlet, Hansard, 25/07/14)
Ms Fulcher also indicated she had contemplated resignation as well but had only stayed on after receiving reassurance from the CEO of Renewal SA that things would be “done differently in the future”.
Ms Fulcher however mentioned that even after Minister Koutsantonis had met with the Board on 25 November, she had the view that the Government should have gone to competitive tender.
Ms Fulcher made it clear that the final Board decision only answered questions the Minister wanted answered and did not give Renewal SA support for not going to competitive tender.
Mr Terlet also gave evidence that he had been told by Renewal SA managers that they were being pressured over the Gillman issue.
When asked who was pressuring the CEO over the Gillman deal, Mr Terlet said:
“His dealings are normally with the minister’s staff and the minister. My assumption was that the pressure was coming from there, but I have no proof of that.” (Hansard, 25/07/14)
“It is now clear that Mr Weatherill and Mr Koutsantonis have many questions to answer over the reasons why they refused to undertake a competitive tender process and they should now agree to give evidence to the Select Committee,” said Mr Lucas.