Former Parramatta council boss Gail Connolly declared she had no involvement in the recruitment of her niece, despite sending her resume to executives and asking if they could identify potentially suitable roles for her, the state’s corruption watchdog has heard.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption also heard Connolly was warned by the head of human resources it would be a “shit decision” to employ the niece where she worked and that she would need to disclose the conflict of interest.
The ICAC heard evidence from Brendan “Lenny” Clifton, the executive director, people culture and workplace at the City of Parramatta, on days seven and eight of the inquiry.
In Operation Navarra, the Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating multiple allegations against Connolly, including that she spied on staff and a councillor, and used confidential information for improper purposes, including rewarding allies and removing critics or perceived opponents.
It is also investigating whether two colleagues, Roxanne Thornton and Angela Jones-Blayney, intentionally subverted recruitment practices to benefit friends and associates. The trio was part of a group known as the “Pink Ladies” or “Pink Ops”, Counsel Assisting Joanna Davidson, SC, said in her opening address.
The inquiry heard on Wednesday that Connolly sent Clifton and Thornton the resume of her niece, Leah Senkowski, via text message and asked them to identify potential roles she could be hired for. Clifton said he did “not recall” seeing the message.
Clifton replaced former HR boss Bernadette Cavanagh, who provided evidence on day one of the inquiry, after her position was terminated in 2023. He had previously acted in Cavanagh’s role and was closely aligned to Connolly, Davidson said in her opening address.
Connolly was told by Clifton that it would be a “shit decision” to employ Senkowski as it wouldn’t look good to have a member of her family working in the same area as her. Connolly then asked Clifton how it would be fair to her niece to not hire her if she was generally suited for the role, he said.
Clifton said he recommended Connolly to declare a conflict of interest and that it be disclosed to and signed off by Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter. In the form, Connolly wrote that she had nil involvement in the recruitment of her niece, the inquiry heard.
Clifton said the form was then signed by himself after Connolly told him that was Zaiter’s recommendation.
“I was informed by Ms Connolly that she’d had the discussion with the lord mayor and asked the lord mayor to sign the conflict of interest form that had been developed, and then the lord mayor informed her that it should be signed by me, not him, and so it came back to me to sign off,” he said.
“She told you or the lord mayor told you?” Chief Commissioner John Hatzistergos asked.
“That’s what Ms Connolly told me.”
Senkowski was directly appointed to a senior executive assistant role in 2025.
Members and associates of the ‘Pink Ladies’ recruited to council
Over the two days, Clifton provided evidence on the recruitment of Marina Cavar, who was originally brought to City of Parramatta on a secondment as a council secretariat and policy officer in 2023, before taking on a permanent role in 2024. The inquiry heard that Thornton and Cavar had formerly worked together at Georges River Council, with Davidson saying in her opening address that Thornton had described Cavar to members of the “Pink Ops” group as “one of us”.
The inquiry was told Thornton did not declare a conflict of interest over her relationship with Cavar during the hiring process, despite sitting on her interview panel.
The inquiry also heard that shortly after Jones-Blayney joined the council in 2023, she discussed creating the new role of events and festivals community project manager with Clifton. Jones-Blayney then suggested Michelle Carter for the role, Clifton said.
Jones-Blayney told Clifton that she had worked with Carter at the City of Ryde Council but that their knowledge of each other was at a professional level only, he said. In her opening address, Davidson said Carter was a member of the “Pink Ladies” group chat.
Clifton said Jones-Blayney provided a verbal conflict of interest in the recruitment of Carter, but that no written one was made.
Jones-Blayney also told Clifton that Carter’s new role was to remain confidential from the staff within her directorate, and that she later expressed concern to him when a finance staff member inadvertently revealed the new position, he said.
Ellie Busby is a Parramatta reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
