The former general manager of Georges River Council, Gail Connolly has received the Public Service Medal in the 2023 Australia Day Honours.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
Ms Connolly was acknowledged for her outstanding public service to local government, in particular in managing the amalgamation of Georges River Council.
"Ms Connolly's experience, inspirational leadership and integrity led to her appointment as the Chief Executive (General Manager) of the new Georges River Council in May 2016 as part of the NSW Government's council amalgamation program," the Australia Day Honours citation said.
"Of the 19 new Councils created, Ms Connolly was the only external candidate to be appointed as General Manager to a merged Council. She was considered to be the most experienced professional to tackle the systemic problems that existed between the two former Councils (Hurstville and Kogarah City Councils) in order to transform these local government entities.
"Under Ms Connolly's leadership, Georges River Council was classified as a high performing showcase council for meeting deadlines and achieving performance indicators during the merger period. Other merger Councils were referred to Georges River Council as the lead example of how to create a merged entity.
"As a result of Ms Connolly's outstanding and stoic leadership during this very challenging period, Georges River Council expanded its relationships with many local and state stakeholders and was viewed as the pinnacle of a Council's ability to successfully transition to an amalgamated entity.
"Ms Connolly is a passionate advocate for growing, nurturing and developing those around her to find their own potential and encourage a culture of achievement. Her professionalism, ethics, appetite for innovation, and focus on results driven outcomes is why she is considered one of the leading public service professionals in her field."
