By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A City of Greater Dandenong whistle-blower has told a State Parliamentary inquiry that the closure of I Cook Foods by health authorities was “over-the-top” and “highly irregular”.
Environmental health inspector Kim Rogerson was ordered to take swab-samples of sandwiches and ingredients at I Cook Foods due to a possible link to a listeria case, she told the Upper House legal and social issues committee on 17 June.
She said that the council was “intent on destroying” I Cook Foods – which was shut down by the Department of Health and Human Services three weeks later in February 2019.
The Dandenong South commercial kitchen remained closed for more than a month, effectively destroying the business, according to its owners.
“I was shocked that I Cook Foods was closed the way it was,” Mr Rogerson said of the “highly unusual” order.
Ms Rogerson said her three-page statement was beefed up to seven pages by Greater Dandenong management – one of whom said he wanted to “nail those b***ards”.
She said the manager asked her to change her statement, to delete “weak” sentences and “positive” words such as “clean”.
He told her to add the words “filthy” and “shouldn’t be operating”.
Ms Rogerson said she refused to sign.
She told the inquiry that the council had a conflict of interest – it was a shareholder of Community Chef, a rival company to I Cook Foods.
Greater Dandenong chief executive John Bennie is a director of Community Chef. He was unable to sign the I Cook Foods closure notice due to the conflict, Ms Rogerson said.
The conflict of interest should have extended to all council staff, including health inspectors, she said.
It would be like giving “Hungry Jacks the power to inspect and close down McDonald’s”.
Ms Rogerson said she didn’t know why the DHHS would “name and shame” I Cook Foods in the media when the matters were usually dealt with “privately”.
In previous listeria or “notifiable bacteria” cases, they were usually dealt with by a clean-up of the premises. Swabs were then taken and the business was re-opened “very quickly”.
A “below par” business would be normally closed down only after being given cautions and chances to comply with health standards.
Still employed by Greater Dandenong, Ms Rogerson hasn’t gone back to the office for more than a year.
“The stress caught up with me.”
Greater Dandenong had spent “thousands of dollars on an expensive law firm” to fight her Work Cover claim despite her case being recommended by counsellors and health professionals.
“I believe I’m being punished by the council for blowing the whistle and telling the truth”.
The inquiry is expected to hear from witnesses from City of Greater Dandenong and the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday 24 June.
In May last year, a council spokesperson responded to Ms Rogerson’s allegations.
“Greater Dandenong Council does not believe the allegations to be true, however we do take them extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.
“Council CEO, Mr John Bennie has previously declared a conflict and taken no part in any discussions relating to I Cook Foods.”
Recently, when the inquiry was announced, Greater Dandenong’s corporate services director Mick Jaensch said the council “welcomes any inquiry or investigation into the matter”.
