Misused public fundsConflicts of interestOversight & ethics enforcement

NSW anti-corruption commission examined allegations that Parramatta Council's former CEO sidelined staff and that a clique subverted hiring

Confidence: Corroborated · 3 sourcesParramatta · Oct 12, 2026

Subject of this story

City of Parramatta Council

Gail Connolly, Former Chief Executive Officer, City of Parramatta Council

Roxanne Thornton, City of Parramatta Council officer (named in ICAC Operation Navarra)

Angela Jones-Blayney, City of Parramatta Council officer (named in ICAC Operation Navarra)

Also named

Oversight

Independent Commission Against Corruption (New South Wales)

What happened

NSW ICAC's Operation Navarra public inquiry, which began in May 2026 and ran about 24 hearing days, examined allegations that former City of Parramatta Council chief executive Gail Connolly (CEO 2023 to October 2025) misused her official functions to remove staff she saw as disloyal or a threat, including one senior employee whose May 2023 exit under a deed of release could be described as a resignation. It also examined allegations that Connolly, Roxanne Thornton and Angela Jones-Blayney subverted hiring processes to benefit friends and associates, and a claim that about 800 hours of courier timesheets were fraudulently paid over five years. Connolly says she has 'not acted inappropriately'; the ICAC has made no findings yet. Council data show about 4.3 million dollars was spent on redundancies between 2022 and June 2025.

Sources (3)

ABC News (Australia)Gail Connolly testified at ICAC's Operation Navarra hearing; allegations include improper surveillance of staff, disguised terminations, and a hiring-favoritism clique.

ABC News (Australia)ICAC launched a formal investigation into former City of Parramatta chief executive Gail Connolly and other staff, examining improper surveillance, redundancy practices and misuse of council information.

The MandarinNSW ICAC’s public hearings into alleged corruption at a western Sydney council started last week with a bang. Former council boss Gail Connolly and her associates are accused of removing “disloyal” staff and replacing them with loyalists.

Response

City of Parramatta Council

Statement given

Contacted and responded — exact wording not on record.

Gail Connolly

Not yet contacted

Not yet contacted for this story.

Roxanne Thornton

Not yet contacted

Not yet contacted for this story.

Angela Jones-Blayney

Not yet contacted

Not yet contacted for this story.

What happened next (0)

No outcome recorded yet.

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