Mayor defiant

“LOVE me or hate me- I make things happen.”

That’s what Burnie Mayor Steve K ons had to say about hiring Simon Overland as the council’s new general manager.

BURNIE Mayor Steve Kons says the no-nonsense approach of his council’s controversial and high-profile new general manager should see others in the Tasmanian city“pull up their socks ”.

Former Victoria Police Commissioner and Tasmanian Justice Department secretary Simon Overland has been working as a private consultant in Melbourne since being dismissed from Whittle sea Council last year.

Mr Overland, who led the Purana Taskforce on organised crime during Melbourne's gangland wars, has hit the headlines again recently as the Lawyer X royal commission continues.

The 58-year-old will replace Andrew Wardlaw who left Burnie City Council at the end of July.

He will move to Tasmania soon and take up the role at Burnie City Council at the start of November.

Mr Overland was one of 35 applicants for the position received from across Australia and New Zealand.

The council decided Mr Overland had the right skills, “experience, intellect and depth of knowledge” the city needed.

Cr Kons said he did not care if he received flak over the appointment.

“Love me or hate me I make things happen ,” he said.

“At the moment some of the public criticism is just a

populist attack which is not backed by facts. I have never met Simon nor have any of the other councillors. But I believe he will be a higher net worth general manager than what he wil lbe paid.”

The salary band for a general manager at Burnie City Council is $240,000 to $260,000, plus a councilfunded car and phone.

Cr Kons expects his appointment will see some at council and in the city more broadly “pull up their socks ”.

“I expect a flow-on effect with standards being enhanced under his watch– including mine ,” he said.

“I don’t know what happened at Whittlesea Council but it appears it was a dysfunctional council which

went through three general managers in as many years.”

The council was later dismissed by the Victorian parliament.

In relation to Mr Overland’s connection to the infamous Lawyer X affair in Victoria, Cr Kons said from his perspective–as a lawyer– it was Mr Overland and his police team who had been smart getting information on criminals from lawyer Nicola Gobbo.

“It was she who was stupid to act as an inform anton her clients.

“She should go to jail for what happened.”