Gail Connolly, the former chief executive of the City of Parramatta Council, provided testimony on Thursday during a corruption inquiry focusing on allegations of misconduct. Connolly admitted to replicating a colleague’s signature in order to expedite the signing of her employment contract for a position with an annual salary of $500,000, fearing the offer might be withdrawn. She is expected to continue her testimony on Friday.
Connolly held the chief executive position from 2023 until her departure in October 2025, following a split vote within the council. During the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) hearing, she was questioned about the details surrounding her appointment to the role. Evidence was presented in the form of text messages exchanged between Connolly and Roxanne Thornton, a close associate and fellow local government official, where Connolly mentioned her efforts to investigate the other candidate for the position, Bryan Hynes, who had been acting as chief executive at that time. When asked by Counsel Assisting Joanna Davidson SC to clarify her statement, Connolly explained that she was merely gathering background information on her competitor.
Connolly also conveyed to the commission that she believed she had entered into a “verbal contract” after being informed of her successful appointment and mistakenly assumed that her salary had been sanctioned. In March 2023, the council had attempted to halt her employment through a rescission motion. Davidson informed the commission that Scott Phillips, the former head of Local Government New South Wales (LGNSW), had sent legal advice regarding the rescission motion’s validity to Connolly.
When questioned about the appropriateness of receiving advice meant for the council, Connolly stated that the former lord mayor, Donna Davis, had been verbally communicating this information to her. Davis, who now represents Parramatta as a state MP, declined to comment while the inquiry is ongoing. Connolly acknowledged her friendship with Phillips, admitting it was challenging to distinguish between personal and professional correspondence.
Further legal advice regarding the compensation of general managers was also shared with Connolly. Just prior to the council meeting that would discuss the rescission of her employment, Connolly signed her contract, effectively preventing the motion from proceeding. The commission learned that Connolly had asked Thornton to witness her signature via FaceTime, after which Thornton sent her an electronic version of her signature to append to the contract. When informed that a physical signature was required, Connolly stated that she had “written over the top” of Thornton’s electronic signature, with her consent. A text message exchange revealed Connolly telling Thornton, “just wrote your signature,” to which Thornton responded, “F***, that’s pretty good.”
When questioned by Davidson if the intent behind writing over Thornton’s signature was to ensure the contract was signed before the council could convene to vote on the rescission, Connolly confirmed, “Yes, I think so.” Davidson later presented a side-by-side comparison of the two signatures, highlighting notable differences in their formation. Connolly then claimed she had traced Thornton’s signature using the natural light from a window. When queried why she had not mentioned the tracing in her earlier testimony, Connolly replied that she was simply aiming for precision.
The inquiry also delved into the circumstances surrounding Bernadette Cavanagh’s departure from the council, who had led the People and Culture department and raised concerns about how Connolly’s contract was negotiated. A previous message thread among Connolly, Thornton, and mutual friend Angela Jones-Blayney was reviewed, in which Connolly expressed that staff she perceived as undermining her “must have a death wish.” Jones-Blayney responded, suggesting that those individuals would “disappear into a big blackhole never to be seen again.” Connolly clarified that her remarks did not necessarily imply she intended to terminate anyone.
Cavanagh’s employment concluded in May 2023 through a negotiated deed of release, framing her departure as a resignation. Connolly and others are currently under investigation by the state’s corruption watchdog for allegedly manipulating the council’s hiring processes to favor friends for senior positions. Additional accusations against Connolly include the misuse of public funds to facilitate staff dismissals through deeds of release, leaking confidential council documents, and conducting unauthorized electronic surveillance of employees.
Connolly is the final member of her network, known as the “Pink Ladies,” to testify as public hearings approach the conclusion of their fourth week. She is set to continue her testimony on Friday.
