14 July 2023

Just what does Mick Gentleman do?

| Ian Bushnell
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Two men with two helicopters

In his element: Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman with ACT RFS Chief Officer Rohan Scott at a media event earlier in the year at ESA’s Hume base. Photo: Ian Bushnell.

Mick Gentleman has an interesting take on ministerial responsibility.

The Emergency Services Minister has called the damning findings of a review of the Emergency Services Agency leadership a “public service administration matter”.

Nothing to do with him.

This is despite him being in charge of the portfolio for more than six years, and the findings of bullying, a culture of blame, a lack of trust, chaotic structure and poor communication only reinforcing what was known in 2017 when a staff survey found a “toxic” culture within the ESA.

Mr Gentleman had no hesitation in backing Commissioner Georgeina Whelan then and did it again when the review was announced.

READ ALSO Services Australia boss tells staff to be strong while rebuilding public trust

That prompted firefighters union boss Greg McConville and Canberra Liberals spokesperson James Milligan to call for another minister, such as Chief Minister Andrew Barr or Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury, to take the matter out of Mr Gentleman’s hands and implement the report’s recommendations.

Mr Gentleman’s comments seem to suggest he would be all too happy to leave it up to someone else.

“There are of course concerning findings in the report, which is why implementation of the recommendations and culture change in the ESA is so important,” he said.

“I am confident this work can be successfully undertaken in collaboration with staff, stakeholders and under the leadership of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate.”

But all this begs the question: just what is Mr Gentleman’s role?

Under our system of government, these are matters on his watch – matters that have been left to fester for six years.

The government is already conducting a difficult culture repair job at Canberra Health Services, dealing with similar complaints.

It can ill afford to have another important area of government in turmoil threatening staff churn when such skills are in high demand, especially the very agency on which Canberrans depend in a crisis.

Mr Gentleman will gladly turn up for a media event such as the unveiling of a new helicopter or fire truck but it seems that when a key organisation is in need, it’s not his responsibility.

READ ALSO Four drowning deaths prompt urgent call for better safety measures at ACT swimming spots

Unfortunately, this is part of a pattern of light touch and deference to public servants that has marked his time as minister across his portfolios, particularly the all-important planning.

Mr Gentleman of course is not the only one to handpass responsibility to the public officials who are supposed to be serving him.

At the federal level, ministerial responsibility seems to be a quaint notion from the past. Just look at the Robodebt scandal and the line-up of ministers ducking and weaving.

The ACT is only a year and a bit out from an election. If Mr Gentleman is not prepared to accept his responsibilities in any meaningful way, now would be a good time for the Chief Minister to find someone who will, and have them settled in Cabinet by poll time.

The government needs ministers who will shoulder more than just media opportunities, show leadership and nip problems in the bud when they arise, not leave them to undermine the delivery of crucial services.

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I have been told that he has never missed picking up his salary and allowances.

Nothing

As a former member of the ESA, and having colleagues, friends and family who experienced the reported toxic culture and bullying, I am dismayed at the light touch of the recommendations to address these serious findings. It is not credible that the leadership will change their approach through the processes described in the recommendations. For instance, developing a new motto for ESA is not an appropriate measure to address such problems. Those who suffered through this distress and were brave enough to “speak truth to power” must feel let down by the Minister not taking responsibility and acting decisively to investigate the claims of bullying and apply the full weight of the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct with the appropriate disciplinary action.

Perhaps our Chief Minister would like to clarify why Minister Gentleman is such a good minister? I am sure it is nothing to do with party factions or numbers of seats in the Assembly.

I can tell you what he doesn’t do. He doesn’t care about growing brothels throughout our city. He likes to keep quiet that homicide cases (murder) has TRIPLED in the past seven years in Canberra. He also likes to keep quiet about ACt Police numbers being the LOWEST in the country per capita. He also doesn’t
give two hoots about youth crime or youth justice, including attempted rape of children at Fadden Pines and either refers these matters to mental health Minister Emma Davidson. Or says he can’t comment because it’s “before the courts”. He is an embarrassment for a minister and should quit now. Canberra needs to wake up and vote ACT labor Greens OUT.

The buck obviously stops squarely at Mick Gentleman’s office door – before it actually enters the office. I agree with @A 100% – “I could honestly say that I have no recollection of any contribution to strategy or culture provided by Mick Gentleman.” I too can’t think of one positive contribution Gentleman has made as minister in any of his portfolios. While the ACT political gene pool is low by any standard, Gentleman manages consistently to drag it even lower.
When you consider that we as Canberrans continually return him to the Assembly, it certainly doesn’t say much about the alternatives on offer.

I registered an account specifically to voice my agreement with the Author for raising this. I recently left one the departments under Mick Gentleman’s scope after 5 years and I could not understand how such a vacant minister could remain in the position considering the absolute mess that operated underneath his scope, and with absolutely no indication that he had any plan or willingness at all to either intervene or god forbid repair the issues. I could honestly say that I have no recollection of any contribution to strategy or culture provided by Mick Gentleman. I used to think it was simply because he had too many portfolios. Maybe it is.

…About as much as he does as Planning Minister!

This author is well remembered for a particularly nasty and personal screed against Gentleman (and Burch) prior to the 2020 election. Showing just how in touch Bushnell is with modern Canberra, Labor then got a 6% swing towards it in Brindabella.

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