A former Labor arts minister has pushed back against the implication he circumvented hiring processes to appoint his former chief of staff to a newly created role in the government's Cultural Facilities Corporation.
Gordon Ramsay, who was appointed the chief executive of the corporation in November 2021 after losing his Legislative Assembly seat in 2020, said all relevant conflict of interest processes were followed in the appointment of the chief of staff.
The person appointed to the chief of staff position at the corporation had worked as Mr Ramsay's chief of staff for four years in the Legislative Assembly, and previously held other senior roles in the Australian public service.
Arts Minister Tara Cheyne was also questioned by the Canberra Liberals at a budget estimates hearing on Thursday about Mr Ramsay's appointment to the chief executive role and what communication she had had with her former colleague.
Ms Cheyne said she played no part in his appointment as the process was run entirely by the public service.
The minister said Mr Ramsay had sent her a text message to inform her he would apply for the position, which she said she may have discussed with her chief of staff, but this was not unusual.
There were more than 20 applications for the chief executive role, which was vacated by inaugural chief executive Harriet Elvin, which were considered by ACT public service head Kathy Leigh, Cultural Facilities Corporation board chair Justice Richard Refshauge and former National Library director-general Anne-Marie Schwirtlich.
The committee's attention then turned to the creation of a chief of staff role within the Cultural Facilities Corporation after Mr Ramsay's appointment.
Mr Ramsay said he had discussed creating the position with the outgoing chief executive, Ms Elvin, but did not recollect having contact with his former ministerial office chief of staff about the job.
The new $155,000-a-year position was gazetted on January 12, applications closing a week later on January 19. Mr Ramsay was the contact officer for the position.
"It is my recollection that the advertisement was placed and there was not drawing that to anyone's attention," Mr Ramsay said.
"We were confident with the importance of this particular piece of work that it would draw a good round of applications and we were pleased with the quality of the applications that came in."
Mr Ramsay confirmed he declared a conflict of interest in relation to the applicant but still sat on the interview panel, which had shortlisted two candidates.
The Canberra Times understands the position was filled in February.
The opposition's spokeswoman on arts, Nicole Lawder, said there needed to be full transparency in the way Mr Ramsay and his chief of staff were appointed to their roles.
"The fact this [chief of staff] role was newly created, open for applications for just one week in early January and filled by Mr Ramsay's former chief of staff rings alarm bells," Ms Lawder said.
"There are serious questions regarding this appointment especially when it comes to the fairness of the recruitment process.
"There needs to be full transparency when it comes to the appointment of Mr Ramsay, his chief of staff and we look forward to getting further answers throughout the estimates hearings."
Mr Ramsay post-political career also drew attention when he was hired to work in Chief Minister Andrew Barr's office just four months after he lost his seat.
The government confirmed Mr Ramsay was engaged on a temporary contract to help with a review of the territory's anti-discrimination laws and human rights compatibility processes.
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