By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
FORMER Greater Dandenong chief executive Carl Wulff has resigned from his position on a Queensland city council during an investigation into alleged official misconduct.
Mr Wulff resigned as Ipswich City Council’s chief executive on 13 December after the state’s Crime and Misconduct Commission took over the investigation.
Mayor Paul Pisasale said Mr Wulff had resigned by “mutual agreement” after new information arose about “certain private transactions” undertaken by the council’s former chief executive.
“In the course of monitoring this investigation, and due to a development in the investigation, the CMC determined that it was appropriate to take over the investigation,” a spokeswoman for the CMC said.
“In all matters it is important to note that everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence and all allegations should be treated as unsubstantiated until a final outcome is reached.”
Mr Wulff had acrimoniously left Greater Dandenong Council in 2008 to accept the Ipswich post.
On announcing his departure, Mr Wulff publicly criticised Greater Dandenong’s “part-time” councillors who at the time wanted to retain offices in Springvale and Dandenong and rejected outsourcing council services to a private company.
“They are asked to make very significant decisions but they are only doing a part-time job,” Mr Wulff reportedly said to Dandenong Star at the time.
“At least at Ipswich (where councillors are full-time) I can work with councillors on complex issues where I have access to them all day every day to get them understanding the concepts and issues.”
Days later, he was effectively sacked by councillors with a day’s notice.
“The present CEO gave notice to resign two years into a five-year contract and said he didn’t have confidence in this council.” Then-mayor Peter Brown said.
