Peter Schneider is suing Warrnambool City Council for unfair dismissal after he was fired as its chief executive just 18 months into the job.
At a specially convened meeting on July 13th Councillors Kylie Gaston, Michael Neoh, Sue Cassidy and David Owen voted to oust Mr Schneider. After being told about 7.15pm by the mayor that his employment had been terminated, Mr Schneider asked what reasons had been given
He was told “they said they had the majority and that they did not need to discuss the reasons”.
In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court he has accused the councillors of having a bias against him and details his frustrations over what he claims was a dismissal lacking “natural justice”. Mr. Schneider said he was not given the chance to hear allegations against him nor the reasons for his dismissal.
Mr Schneider is suing the council for “failing to afford [him] procedural fairness in making the decision to terminate his employment”, saying the decision was made as a result of “actual or perceived bias”.
The former CEO said he had yet to receive written notification from the council that he had been fired, and that he received a lump sum of more than $200,000 from council without explanation as to how that amount was calculated.
Council documents revealed the cost of Mr Schneider’s termination was $364,000.
The court filing claimed Cr Gaston made three attempts to call a special meeting, eventually succeeding in passing a motion to “consider a confidential matter relating to the extent of council’s contractual powers to terminate the CEO’s contract of employment”.
Mr. Schneider claims Cr Gaston had been seeking legal advice about his contract since February, five months before the dismissal.
It is the handling of this meeting which Mr Schneider alleges was unfair.
One can only imagine what the sequel to this disgusting act will be.
Possibly “The filthy four” or the “Shoot out at the OK Corral”
You can be certain it will not be the “Magnificent Seven”