Drummond out of CSIRO
Dr Calum Drummond, the CSIRO Group Executive publicly criticised by Deputy President, J W Constance for his part in providing misleading statements under oath before the Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AATA) in the matter of Williams and Comcare [2012], has announced that he is quitting the CSIRO to take up a role with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation.
The Decision of Deputy President Constance included: “I am not satisfied that Dr Drummond was a reliable witness and I do not make any findings of fact based on his evidence.”
Subsequent to decision handed down by Deputy President Constance, it has been announced in the Federal House of Representatives that Dr Drummond and his direct reports provided no fewer than 128 false or misleading statements before the tribunal.
Under Chapter 7 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act [1995], false or misleading conduct by public officials acting in an official capacity can result in a lengthy term of imprisonment. This is to say nothing of the question of perjury.
We question whether the appointment of Dr Drummond by RMIT is a wise decision given his involvement in the contrived redundancy of Mr Martin Williams after RMIT itself recently became the centre of a scandal involving the similarly contrived sacking of Professor Judith Bessant in May this year.
In the case of Professor Bessant, RMIT was fined $37,000 by the Federal Court of Australia and ordered to reinstate Professor Bessant who otherwise could reasonably have sought damages of anywhere between $1 million and $1.9 million in lost income.
Dr Drummond leaves CSIRO amid controversy that he was protected from misconduct proceedings with the CSIRO conducting an “in-house” investigation into the allegations which was undertaken by none other than an employee who was previously reported to Dr Drummond and worked at a peer level with his co-accused.
It has not also gone unnoticed that a number of other senior executives referred to in complaints have also quietly left – others are on ‘sabbatical’ (extended leave)
No doubt Drummond is leaving with his full entitlements in similar fashion to the procession of other senior executives who appear to be quietly slipping out of the organisation, arguably to avoid further scrutiny of alleged misconduct in Phase 2 of the CSIRO investigation into workplace bullying and other misconduct, the terms of which strictly prohibit the Investigator from pursuing allegations relating to former employees or from even advising the complainant that the investigation has been discontinued for that very reason.
The RMIT article can be viewed here:
Victims of Bullying, Harassment, and Victimisation in the CSIRO 
Drummond leaves behind a legacy of non-transparent decisions. It’s time to examine these.
Anonymouse
September 29, 2013
Nah, that’s what passes for innovation.
Anonymous
September 30, 2013
CD is exiting CSIRO in December and some of his appointed chiefs and directors come up for renewal of their 3 year terms soon. Will CD renew their terms before he goes or will the incoming replacement get a say? Was 30 days of advertising enough to do a proper international search to replace him or has someone been told to apply? Will one of Calums appointed ones get the job? The MMM group needs a new broom to refresh it after Calums legacy. Not more of the same.
Suspicious
October 27, 2013