Council staff dubbed the ‘Pink Ops’ allegedly surveilled other workers, NSW anti-corruption watchdog hears

A New South Wales anti-corruption inquiry is investigating whether three friends in powerful positions at a western Sydney council, who called themselves the “Pink Ops”, subverted recruitment and promotion processes to benefit friends. The NSW Independent Commission against Corruption (Icac) held its first day of public hearings on Monday into allegations concerning Parramatta council’s former chief executive Gail Connolly, as well as council employees Roxanne Thornton and Angela Jones-Blayney and other staff. In her opening address, counsel assisting Joanna Davidson SC said the three women were formerly part of a group working together at Ryde council, which called itself the “Pink Ladies” or “Pink Ops” or “Pops”. The name was “a play on words on the term Black Ops”. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email “The group attended social events together, including dinners and weekends away, and maintained contact via WhatsApp, chats containing thousands of messages continuing after the period during which they worked together.” Davidson alleged evidence would show that “this close network maintained over years formed part of the backdrop to key decisions later made at Parramatta”. Icac is investigating whether Connolly and other staff conducted targeted electronic surveillance and investigated staff for reprisals, including termination. Connolly was appointed chief executive in March 2023. …