1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,599 Speaker 1: Costs days in the public service look to be numbered. 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:06,199 Speaker 1: Sir Brian Roch is investigating him over the IPCA report. Meanwhile, 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: three current police employees are also under investigation over their 4 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 1: part in the alleged cover up. Max Whitehead, employment expert 5 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: with us this morning, Max, Good morning, Good. 6 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: Morning, Ryan. Yes, it's a messy, messy piece of work here, 7 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 2: isn't it certainly is. 8 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: What's the quickest way for this to end? Do you think? 9 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: In the cost of situation. 10 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: In the cost of situation, the employer has to undertake 11 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 2: an independent investigation. Now they can present to mister cost 12 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 2: of the facts, given him an opportunity to explain, and 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 2: then once they've received that, then they are free to 14 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 2: act under the there's legislation already developed there that under 15 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 2: Schedule seven on the Public Service Act that they can 16 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 2: proceed and take an action against the like in his 17 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 2: current role a chief executive and terminator's employment for just cause. 18 00:00:58,920 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: What's a just cause? 19 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 2: Well, exactly bringing the organization to disrepute is very very 20 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 2: important for a high profile individual like mister Costa, if 21 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 2: he has brought the organization into disrepute, it's a sackable offense. 22 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 2: But they have to give him an opportunity to explain 23 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 2: his side of the story. 24 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: So once they've done that and then they sack him, 25 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: can he take a personal grievance? 26 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 2: Absolutely, he is an employee and his employer is the 27 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 2: Public Service commissioner. How much do you know? 28 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: How much do you think the other option courses that 29 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: he walks and there is some kind of golden parachute? 30 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: What is that? How does that normally work? 31 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 2: Well? If there is a remote chance that he could 32 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: probably litigate and cause all sorts of embarrassment difficulties for 33 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,639 Speaker 2: the public service, they are quite often, it happens often. 34 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: I've got to say, there is negotiations and that's where 35 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 2: a parachute can be provided, which to me is pretty abhorrent. 36 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 2: I mean, already they've got to undertake another independence investigation 37 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:14,959 Speaker 2: just because of him, and because it's a different department too. 38 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 2: That does make a lot of sense. But however, there's 39 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 2: a cost to that, and there's going to be a 40 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: cost to the public. Again, we end up paying for 41 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 2: lots of things. I mean, there's millions and millions of 42 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 2: dollars the public are going to have to part with, 43 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 2: just in terms of investigations. Plural many investigations, and that's 44 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 2: pretty tough on us taxpayers. 45 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: Appreciate your time. Max Whitehead, employment expert with us this morning. 46 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 1: By the way, his contract is a two and a 47 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: half million dollar five year contract, and as Max has said, 48 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: if we want to get him out of it early, 49 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: then we might have to pay something for that privilege. 50 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live 51 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: to News Talks it be from five am weekdays, or 52 00:02:58,040 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.