The Canberra Institute of Technology's chief executive should be investigated for breaching public service standards after her "overly litigious and combative approach" to a parliamentary inquiry.
That is the recommendation of a Legislative Assembly privileges committee, which said the Public Sector Standards Commissioner should examine Margot McNeill's conduct.
The committee stopped short of finding Dr McNeill in contempt of the Assembly, instead saying it was unable with any confidence to say whether or not she was in contempt.
The parliamentary inquiry was established to examine whether Dr McNeill gave false or misleading evidence to a separate parliamentary inquiry examining CIT's chief executive recruitment process.
"Dr McNeill's overly litigious and combative approach to the committee's inquiries is inconsistent with the Assembly's expectations for public sector leaders and raises concerns about whether her conduct is inconsistent with public sector values and undermines the integrity and reputation of the service, contrary to section 9 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994," the committee's report said.
The Public Sector Standards Commissioner should investigate Dr McNeill's conduct and the CIT board should make a referral if necessary for it to happen, the committee said.
The committee said Dr McNeill would need to represent the institute before the Legislative Assembly at budget estimates and annual reports hearings at a minimum.
"The way in which these events have undermined committee members' confidence in Dr McNeill's possible responses should be a concern for CIT and the ACTPS as institutions," the committee said.
The first inquiry in May found Dr McNeill had "actively misled" the institute's board by "denying that there was a finding of misconduct that had been against her".
Following the release of the first inquiry report, the ABC reported TAFE NSW had given "Dr McNeill permission to disclose any facts or circumstances connected with her employment at TAFE NSW and at no point specifically directed Dr McNeill not to disclose the existence of the investigation to CIT".
The "incompatibility" of that statement with Dr McNeil's evidence to the parliamentary inquiry examining the recruitment process prompted the second privileges investigation.
The Liberals' Elizabeth Lee, who chaired the privileges committee, said the committee had "found dealing with Dr McNeill an unnecessarily frustrating exercise".
"We hold significant concerns that Dr McNeill's interactions with Assembly committees has undermined public confidence in her at a time when CIT needs focused and effective leadership to deliver for Canberrans," Ms Lee said in a statement.
Dr McNeill did not disclose that she was under investigation by her previous employer during the CIT recruitment process.
Dr McNeill is suing TAFE NSW after being terminated from her previous role.
A lawyer for Dr McNeill said "medical issues" and involvement in several inquiries had delayed the case when it was mentioned in the NSW Supreme Court on July 9.
The NSW Supreme Court heard on Wednesday that Dr McNeill was seeking a judicial review of the reclassification of the end of her employment with TAFE NSW.
The matter is due to be heard in September.
with Hannah Neale
